


Bound by blood

by Xenobia



Category: Moon Child (2003)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst and Humor, Blood Drinking, Bloodplay, Drama, M/M, Oral Sex, Romance, Sexual Content, Sounding, Supernatural Elements, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-09-25
Updated: 2012-10-12
Packaged: 2017-11-15 00:25:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 48,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/521089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenobia/pseuds/Xenobia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place after "Forever".  As Sho and Kei try to catch up with the world and find the motivation to keep going, they discover that Sho's daughter has become involved with a member of the Mafia.  Sho vows to ensure her safety, by any means necessary.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**"Bound by blood"**

Chapter 1

A "Moon Child" fan fanfiction

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* * *

 

Disclaimer: I do not own "Moon child" or any of the characters.  This is strictly a non-profit endeavor, written for entertainment purposes only.

****

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* * *

 

 _Mapella, 2046:_

He looked over his shoulder as he ran, splashing up water from the puddles his feet struck on the way.  Just a little further, and he'd make it onto a main street, where there might be people around.  He might be safe, if he could make it to other people.  Of course, this was Mallepa, where the Mafia still ruled and it wasn't unheard of for people to get gunned down in broad daylight.  He knew there was no guarantee that the thing pursuing him would stop, once he was amongst other people.

 

He could see the end of the narrow street up ahead, where it joined up with the boulevard.  Leaning against the side of a record shop building just at the end of the street was a man in a white trench coat, and he appeared to be lighting up a cigarette.  The fleeing man felt hope, and he called out to the stranger in Cantonese, waving his arms.

 

"Hey!  Call the police!  Someone's been killed and now they're after me!"

 

The man took a drag from his cigarette and regarded him with unreadable, glittering eyes.  His hair was long in the back, woven into multiple braids that fell past his shoulders.  The top and sides were unbound and trimmed shorter, styled to frame his fine-boned Japanese face in a shaggy cut.  The brownish-blond mane caught highlights from the street lamps in a way that was almost un-natural, and as the fleeing man came closer, he could see the unusual blue color of his eyes.

 

"Didn't you hear me?" He demanded, panting as he closed the remaining distance.

 

The smoking man regarded him calmly.  "I heard you," he answered in accented Cantonese.  "A corpse is after you.  Are you on drugs?"

 

"No, the _killer_ is after me!  Call the fucking police!"

 

"You said 'someone's been killed and now they're after me,'" said the young man in the coat with a shrug.  "My Cantonese isn't perfect, but even I can form better sentence structures than that."

 

Deciding that he'd get no help from this person, the man tried to run past him to the boulevard up ahead.  A blur of red, black and white dropped down before him just as he reached the smoking guy and he stared into the dark eyes of the deceptively young Japanese man who had killed his partner.  He'd dropped his gun when he fled the scene earlier, so all he could do was take a swing at his attacker in the hopes that he could subdue him long enough to get away. 

 

"Help me!" he demanded as the blond dodged every punch and kick he aimed at him.  He was a good fighter, but this guy moved with inhuman speed and he seemed to see the hits coming before he could even make them.

 

The man in the trench coat just kept smoking.  "It's not my business."

 

"Sho, this is supposed to be _your_ meal," called the blond creature, looking at the man in the trench coat with an annoyed frown on his lips.

 

_~His…meal?  Did I hear him right?~_

Suddenly, it occurred to Kwan-Yau that the guy in the white coat might be a monster, like his friend.  That would explain his utter lack of concern.  Even more desperate now, he looked around for a weapon and he found a discarded beer bottle.  He grabbed it up and smashed the end of it, backing away from both men with wild eyes.

 

"Don't come any closer!"

"Isn't that what your victim said to you and your friend?" asked the blond, "before you raped and murdered her?"

 

Kwan-Yau combed his fingers through his short-cropped, damp hair.  So what were these men…cannibal vigilantes?  He knew he never should have come to Mallepa.  He saw a group of people walking past on the sidewalk at the end of the little street, and he started to call out to them.  The blond thing was upon him before he could even open his mouth, catching his wrist with an iron grip in one hand and covering his mouth with the other.  Helpless as a child against a grown man, he struggled as the blond one looked at the one in the trench coat again.

 

"Sho?  Are you going to feed, or not?"

 

The creature with the braids considered his companion, then the Chinese man trapped in his hold.  He took one more drag of his cigarette before thumping it away and crushing it beneath the heel of his boot.  He shrugged out of his coat and offered it to the blond one.

 

"Hold this, would you?  I don't want it getting stained."

 

The blond released his mouth to take the coat, and he took the opportunity to yell at the top of his lungs.  "Help me!  Heeellllp!  They're going to kill me!"

 

"Shut up," snapped the one with the braids, and he grabbed him around the throat with one hand.  His silver, onyx rings dug into Kwan-Yau's skin as he shoved him against the wall, but that was the least of his concerns.  He struggled for breath as the creature wearing the body of a young Japanese man stared into his eyes.

 

"Maybe you'll live through this," the handsome monster told him, while his equally handsome friend looked on, "and if you do, I hope you remember it.  We feed on killers and rapists."

 

He covered Kwan-Yau's mouth with one hand, forced his head back and opened his mouth to reveal two perfect, sharp little fangs where a normal man's canines would have been.  Kwan-Yau's scream was muffled against the creature's hand as he drove those fangs into his neck and began to drink.

 

~*******************************~

* * *

 

"He's still alive," announced Sho in a rough voice after releasing the victim.  The man toppled to the ground and Sho did his little mending trick by smearing a drop of his own blood over the bite injury to close it.  He wiped his mouth, looking at Kei.  "Lucky him.  Coat?"

 

With a sigh, the blond handed it over to him.  "That whole situation brought back memories."

 

Sho slipped the coat back on and flipped his braids out of the collar.  "Which memories?  We haven't been hunting together for very long."

 

Kei gave him a brief, wistful little smile.  "Memories of when we were in the gang, and you used to get so irritated with me for just standing there in the middle of a firefight."

 

Sho procured his cigarette pack from his coat pocket and he pulled out a fresh smoke with his lips.  "Hmph," he said around the filter, "now you know what it felt like."  He lit the cigarette and took a drag, glancing down at the groaning man in the street.  "Anyway, you told me you owed me dinner, remember?  I just thought I'd give you the chance to catch it for me."

 

"I meant regular food," objected Kei.  "As a treat."

 

Sho frowned at him.  "Why?  We can't get anything out of it besides the taste."

 

"Why do you still smoke?" countered the blond with a nod at the cigarette in Sho's hand.  "And speaking of that… _another one_?  Already?  You just finished one a minute ago."

 

"I've always smoked after meals," reminded Sho.  "You know that.  You used to be a worse chain smoker than me."

 

Kei looked down at the barely conscious victim.  "He was wrong, you know.  Mine survived too.  I didn't kill him."

 

"Good, then I won't have to listen to you complain about it all night." 

 

"I don't complain that much," objected Kei, offended.

 

Sho looked at him, the cigarette hanging from his lips.  "Yes you do.  Every time you drain one of them to death, you spend the rest of the night beating yourself up over it."

 

"Well, you don't feed enough," countered the blond.  "I've practically had to force feed you, these past few months."

 

Sho removed the cigarette from between his lips and he tapped the ashes.  "That's because I don't really want to _be here_ , Kei.  I'm only sticking around for you and Hana."

 

The reminder stung, but Kei understood his feelings completely.  "I thought we were going to try and get past that."

 

Sho nodded.  "I am.  It's just not that easy."

 

Kei approached him, bolstering his nerve as he always had to when his companion was in a mood like this.  Sho stayed in a state of detachment most of the time, when they weren't hunting or being intimate with each other.  He was slowly coming out of his shell though, allowing the human personality within to show its face more often.  While he hated to see him cry, Kei also looked forward to it, in a way.  Seeing tears in those eyes again would mean he was truly getting Sho back.  Kei clutched the lapels of Sho's coat and he pulled him close for a quick kiss on the mouth.  When he broke the kiss, Sho rested his forehead against Kei's and the two of them sighed in unison.

 

"Let's go back to the apartment," suggested Kei, "unless there's something else you want to do tonight."

 

Sho started to put his arms around him, but the sound of someone shouting from the boulevard ahead of them distracted him.  He looked up and Kei turned around in time to see the police officers approaching the narrow street they were on, from the boulevard it connected to. 

 

"Meet you at our place," muttered Sho. 

 

"Agreed," answered Kei.

 

They were off in a flash, scrambling up the sides of the buildings before the officers could spot them.

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

Sho intended to go straight home, but as he walked past the park he spotted a familiar, beloved mortal and he had to stop and watch her.  He checked his watch with a frown of disapproval.  Hana shouldn't be out alone at this hour.  He hid behind a tree and peered around it, careful to keep the trunk between her line of sight and his body.  She was sitting at one of the benches before the painting she had restored, and she appeared to be reading something by the light of the park lamps. 

 

"You should go and talk to her," suggested a voice in a bare whisper beside him, startling Sho badly enough to make him gasp.

 

"How do you still do that to me," muttered Sho irritably, "even now?"

 

"You're too easily distracted," answered Kei.  He stood out in the open beside the tree, watching his companion's daughter.  "I mean it, Sho.  Do you know how often she's asked me to tell her stories about you, over the years?  She remembers you vividly.  Yes, she loves her foster family, but she still loves her true father, too."

 

Sho closed his eyes and a swift spasm of pain crossed his face.  "Stop it."

 

"If I thought it would spare you any pain, I would," answered Kei sympathetically, "but I know it won't.  You're punishing yourself.  You still blame yourself for your wife's death…or maybe you blame me."

 

"Told you," Sho insisted in a harsh whisper, "I don't blame you…not after living this way and knowing what it's like."

 

"Then you're blaming yourself," argued Kei, "or at least, you're torturing yourself.  You couldn't have saved her, Sho, not with all the money in the world.  You had no control over what you became, either.  That was all my fault."

 

"Why do you keep bringing this up?" demanded Sho angrily, his voice rising to a growl.  "Do you _want_ me to resent you?"

 

"No," answered the blond immediately, shaking his head.  "I want you to be reunited with your daughter.  Don't you remember some of the talks we had when you were still mortal, about how fast humans age?"

 

"You hammered it into my head," Sho muttered, "of course, I remember it."

 

Kei looked at the girl sitting on the bench on the other side of the park again.  "Think of how fast she grew up from the little girl you once knew to the woman she is now, Sho.  One day, she'll be an old woman and you'll wonder where the time went.  I don't want you to regret not spending time with her while you could, Sho."

 

The taller vampire compressed his lips grimly, his resolve wavering.  "Don't want her to see me like this," he repeated, an excuse he'd used too many times before.  "Don't want her to know what I am."

 

"She knows what _I_ am," coaxed his companion, "and she's not afraid of me.  She's like her father, that way."

 

"She does?"

 

Kei sighed at him.  "I haven't aged in the entire time she's known me, Sho.  Hana is a smart girl, and I eventually had to tell her the truth.  It's time you did the same."

 

"I can't," whispered Sho painfully.  "I just…can't."

 

Kei looked like he couldn't decide whether he wanted to comfort him or yell at him.  He started to say something—probably another admonishment—when Sho noticed something that made him stiffen.

 

"Who the hell is that?"

 

Kei followed his stare back to the painting, where Hana was now greeting a young man who appeared to be Chinese.  He was a nice looking fellow with short-groomed dark hair, wearing a business suit. 

 

"Uh," Kei said hesitantly, wincing.

 

"Kei, who the hell _is_ that?" demanded Sho as the stranger took his daughters' hands in his and bent over to give her a kiss on the cheek—just the way Sho used to do with Yi-Che.

 

Kei scratched his head uncomfortably.  "That's…her boyfriend."

 

When Sho gave him an incredulous look, Kei shrugged.  "She's an adult now, Sho.  You didn't expect her never to find a suitor, did you?"

 

"I…I…she's still…" Sho sputtered, waving in the couple's direction.  He couldn't get the words to come out.  Yes, he knew she was no longer a little girl, and he knew she would probably get married and have kids of her own some day, but he wasn't expecting to see this so soon.

 

"Sho," Kei murmured patiently, "This is what I meant.  You're going to keep missing things like this, if you don't act. You need to re-connect with her again, and trust her to accept you for what you are."

 

He had no logical argument to that, but he still felt he deserved an explanation.  "Why didn't you _tell_ me about this?"

 

"I only found out myself last week," defended Kei, "and I've been meaning to tell you, but hoping I could convince you to approach her and find out yourself.  I’m sorry I waited, but this is your chance."

 

Seeing the other man's fist clinch, he hastily amended: " _Not_ your chance to kill her boyfriend.  This is your chance to talk to her."

 

Sho regarded him incredulously.  "What do you expect me to do, walk up to her after all this time, right _now_?  I haven't seen her since she was six." 

 

"Okay, maybe not _right now_ ," amended Kei, "but soon.  Maybe you could wait until they leave and follow her home.  If you're worried about scaring her, I can approach her first and prepare her.  She thinks you're missing, not dead."

 

Sho agonized over it.  "But…what do I say?   How do I apologize for—"

 

"Just tell her the truth," advised Kei.  He stepped closer to the tree and he laid a supportive hand over the taller man's shoulder.  "I'll help you, okay?"

 

Sho swallowed painfully, and he carefully peeked around the tree again to look at his daughter.  Now she was sitting with her boyfriend on the bench, and they held hands as they talked and looked up at her painting. 

 

"Kei…"

 

As always, the lithe, pretty-faced blond vampire seemed to read his emotions and understand.  He sighed softly and stroked Sho's arm.  "It's okay.  You need more time.  Just…don't take too long, okay?"

 

Sho closed his eyes and nodded, hating himself for his cowardice.  "I want to know everything about him," he whispered.  "Everything there is to know.  I want to know this guy better than he knows himself, before he marries my Hana."

 

"Sho, they aren't even engaged yet," Kei pointed out.

 

The hard glare he got from the other man reminded him that when his buttons were pushed, Sho could be quite impetuous and hot-tempered.  "Okay," pacified Kei in calming tones.  "We'll see whoever we need to see about looking into his background.  You know more about that kind of thing than I do.  Just don't do your normal thing and get reckless."

 

Sho's nerves began to settle, now that he wasn't getting pressure from his companion.  He nodded and relaxed a bit.  "Let's go."

 

Kei immediately started walking, and after a few paces he stopped and looked back at his companion.  Sho still stood where he was, watching his daughter and her suitor from behind the tree.

 

"Sho?" whispered Kei, pitching his voice just loud enough for the other vampire to hear him.

 

Sho lowered his gaze, grimaced and nodded.  "Coming."

 

~************************~

* * *

 

"Kei, the sun is going to be coming up soon," Sho said when he came out of the bathroom and found his companion still bent over the laptop computer sitting on the table.  "Why are you still on that thing?"

 

Kei looked up from the screen and he gave him a tired little smile.  "You wanted to know everything there is to know about your daughter's boyfriend, so I've been researching for you."

 

Sho blinked and took a seat next to him.  "Oh?  That could have waited until tomorrow.  I still have old contacts I was planning to use.  You know I still do business with the Mafia districts here, even though they don't know the truth of who they're dealing with."

 

"I know," answered the blond with a shrug.  He looked a little guilty, peering at him from beneath wisps of blond hair that had fallen over his right eye.  "I just felt like…I should do something."

 

Sho started to lean in to peer at the screen, but Kei hastily turned the computer away.  "I'm not finished yet," he explained lamely when the other vampire gave him a narrow-eyed look of suspicion.

 

"Kei, what have you found out?"  Sho tried to wrest the device from him, but Kei swept it up and set it on his lap, turning his back to him.

 

"Nothing," he said.  "Or maybe something, but you have to swear you won't act rashly, before I tell you."

 

"Kei, I swear if you don't tell me—"

 

"Fine," snapped Kei, twisting back around on the couch to set the laptop on the coffee table.  His expressive brown eyes gazed at Sho with pleading intensity.  "But don't do…what you usually do."

 

"You keep saying that," grumbled Sho.  He gestured at the computer.  "Just show me, please."

 

Kei had the wary look of the mediator on his face.  "Just remember, you're still in on it, too."

 

Sho frowned on confusion, until he saw the newspaper article his companion had pulled up on Hanyu Chan. 

 

"He's in the Mafia."

 

Kei nodded.  "The grand nephew of Chan…the guy that—"

 

"Had Toshi killed," finished Sho, shutting his eyes.  "And Shinji."

 

"But Hanyu Chan had nothing to do with that," Kei reasoned, putting a hand on Sho's right knee.  "He was just a child when it happened, like Hana." 

 

Sho got off the couch abruptly and dragged his fingers through his braids, pacing on bare feet over the hard floor of the apartment.  "That guy is _not_ marrying my girl."

 

Kei grimaced.  "Again, they aren't engaged.  Stop looking so far into the future."

 

"I don't want her marrying into what her mother did," Sho snapped vehemently, making a violent gesture with his arms that threatened to unfasten his silk robe.  "She deserves better than that!"

 

"Okay," soothed Kei.  It was good to see some emotion from him, but Sho had been suppressing it for years and this threatened to get out of control.  Kei shut the laptop and got up to approach his companion, trying his best to sooth him.  "Sho, be still or I'll have to tie you up."

 

Sho stopped and a bit of humor found its way into his heart.  He smirked at him.  "Like you'd dare."

 

"I'd dare a lot, when it comes to protecting you and Hana," answered Kei without hesitation.  He sighed and brushed his hands over his stonewashed jeans, shrugging naked shoulders exposed through the ripped tank top he wore.  "I know this might sound strange to you, but I think of Hana as _my_ daughter, too.  I've watched over her for all this time, haven't I?"

 

Sho deflated and his eyes stung warningly.  "Yes.  You've been more of a father to her than I have."  He looked away, trying to settle his emotions.

 

~**************************~

* * *

 

Kei bit his lip and he reached up to cup the taller man's face.  He brushed his thumbs under his eyes as Sho started to cry, and he shook his head and gave him the familiar, gentle smile.  He'd been waiting for those tears and now that they finally came, he felt terrible for his part in provoking them.  He got the human reaction he wanted, and now it was time to salve the wound.

 

"Don't.  I told you I don't want to make you cry anymore, Sho." 

 

No matter how tough he was—even if some of it was mostly an act—Sho always came to him for help and comfort, in the end.  Kei loved him more than he could ever express, and he stroked his hair and drew his head down to rest on his shoulder, attempting to soothe him.

 

"I looked after Hana because of you and Yi-Che," reminded Kei softly, stroking the silky braids and fluffy crown of the other man's hair.  "I love her because she's part of you both, Sho.  It wasn't a burden, and I never tried to take your place."

"I know," admitted the taller vampire with as shuddering sigh.  "You're still looking after me, after all this time.  I thought I'd banished these stupid mortal feelings, but…"

 

Kei smiled and pulled away, brushing his fingers over Sho's uncertain lips.  "If we lose all mortal feeling, we lose ourselves.  Luka told me that.  I'm glad you haven't lost yours."

 

Those pretty blue eyes lowered and Sho sniffed, stemming the tide of tears.  "I'll bet Luka wasn't a 'crybaby' like me, though."

 

Kei chuckled softly, and he slipped his hands into Sho's robe to embrace his torso.  "Luka was a poet.  He was more dramatic than you could ever be, in his own way.  Sho, just don't think about this tonight.  I didn't mean to be unfair to you, I just don't want you to have any regrets."

 

Sho put his arms around him in return, and he nuzzled his hair in that special way of his.  "I know.  I want to follow your advice, but I just need more time."

 

Kei tilted his head back to gaze into Sho's eyes.  "Then take some time.  Like I said, I'll help you."

 

Kei deftly started to undo the silken belt holding Sho's black robe closed, looking at him as he did so to read his expression.  "Can I take your mind off this for a while?"

 

Sho's blue eyes flashed and he nodded slowly, his hands drifting down Kei's back to cup his bottom.  Kei debated himself inwardly. Sho was clearly vulnerable, and it wasn't in Kei's nature to take advantage of that.  He wanted to have him the way he'd already given himself to Sho, but he could wait.  He decided to content himself with touching and kissing his body, instead.  He should have told him about Hana's relationship sooner, and he intended to make it up to him.

 

"Kei," sighed Sho when the blond exposed him to the air and reached down to fondle him. 

 

He pulled Kei closer and he kissed him deeply, purring low in his throat with pleasure.  He traced the winged tattoos on Kei's shoulders, partially exposed through the sleeveless shirt.  He slid his hands down and he pulled on the shirt, tugging it out of Kei's pants so that he could pull it up.  Kei paused his ministrations obligingly and he lifted his arms over his head to allow his companion to pull his shirt off.  He didn't wait for Sho to make a move after that, knowing that if he allowed the other man time to react, Sho would take over. 

 

He dropped smoothly into a squatting position before Sho and he parted his robes further, before running his hands over his toned abdomen and the narrow lines of his hips.  He looked up at Sho as he caressed his body, fingers tracing old, faded scars from previous knife fights and bullet wounds.  Most of them were barely noticeable on the tanned skin anymore, thanks to time and vampiric healing.  Still, Kei had every mark memorized, because he'd been there when all of them were made. 

 

He felt Sho's powerful, preternatural body shiver as he began to trace those old, faint marks with his tongue.  He looked up at him as he tasted his skin, his eyes letting him know in no uncertain terms that he considered Sho to be his.  The braids fell over the other man's shoulders as he looked back down at Kei, and his lips parted to emit a sigh of gratitude and pleasure.  His hands—for once bare of jewelry—stroked Kei's pale hair and the heavy-lidded, expressive eyes gazed down at him with anticipation.

 

Kei resisted a smile, knowing very well how quickly he could get his partner worked up with his lips and tongue.  He wasn't usually one to brag, but he was very good at giving oral pleasure and the number of times he'd made Sho yell his name so far since they'd gotten together was proof of that.  Of course, Sho proved to be a natural as well and he'd given back every orgasm and scream of pleasure he'd received so far, but for tonight, Kei just wanted to see to his pleasure. 

 

Sho leaned back against the wall and his breath caught as Kei gripped the base of his erection and swirled his tongue around the sensitive slit in the tip of it.  He swallowed and stroked the blond's hair again, holding still as best he could while Kei played. 

 

"You've learned," murmured Kei in approval, between licks.  The straining flesh in his grip tensed and lifted a bit in reaction to the sensation, and Sho grunted.

 

"You were strict about teaching me," answered the taller man breathlessly.

 

Kei smiled against the flushed, shiny cap of Sho's glans, and he put his lips around it and gave it a good, hard suck that made Sho's breath catch again.  The hands stroking his hair trembled, and Kei let his lips slide further down, taking the entire head of the organ into his mouth.  He allowed his fangs to elongate and he gently pressed one against the tiny hole in the tip of the glans, provoking a jerk from the organ and a sharp moan from the man it belonged to.  He slipped his free hand around Sho's hip and behind, to squeeze and stroke his tight, smooth ass. 

 

"Unh…K-Kei," Sho moaned shakenly as the blond carefully fang-fucked the tender opening of his urethra.  Kei maintained a firm hold on the shaft with one hand whilst stroking the underside of his cock with his tongue.  The combination of sensations quickly had Sho reaching desperately for something to grab on to besides Kei's hair. 

 

It was delicate business, using one's fangs in this manner without piercing or scratching the flesh.  Kei had it down to an art; despite how messy he was when feeding and how rarely he could control the frenzy.  This was different from feeding.  This was strictly pleasure, and he knew exactly how much pressure to use to give the most pleasurable, intense sensation without pushing the boarders into pain.

 

Sho panted his name again, and his hips started to flex impulsively.  Kei gave him a light smack on the butt and a warning squeeze, silently reminding him not to tempt fate by attempting to thrust into his mouth.  Sho went still again, his whole body trembling with the pleasure and the effort to be still. 

 

"Fuck…ahh…Kei," growled Sho, tilting his head back against the wall.  His hands splayed over the surface, the fingers reflexively curling into fists.

 

Kei kept at it for several minutes, squeezing the base of Sho's erection to prevent him from ejaculating until he was ready to allow it.  He kept pausing the fang stimulation to murmur sharp, warning reminders each time Sho forgot to be still.  It was an exercise in discipline and though Kei was generally the more submissive of the pair, he demonstrated how easily he could dominate Sho in his own unique way.  When the harsh, ragged cries of pleasure grew desperate enough to sound tortured, Kei rewarded his companion by easing his grip and letting him reach the final peak of bliss.

 

Feeling Sho's sex starting to buck, Kei retracted his fangs and deep-throated him.  He didn't quite manage to get the entire length down his throat before his companion came, but he swallowed quickly enough to avoid gagging. 

 

"Shit," panted Sho hoarsely as he spent himself down Kei's throat.  He dared to pry one hand off the wall and stroke Kei's hair again as the blond finished sucking him dry.  "So good, Kei."

 

Kei released his sated length from his mouth and he ran his hands over Sho's naked hips and thighs, smiling up at him.  "Feel better?"

 

Eyes still closed, the other man nodded.  He kept his head tilted back against the wall and he continued stroking Kei's hair as he caught his breath.  "One day," promised Sho, "I'll feel confident enough to return the favor and use my fangs that way on you."

 

"I'm patient," assured Kei.  "Besides, you've got your own creative way of adding spice to things.  The exchange of blood while having sex was something I never experienced, before you."

 

Sho smiled, opening his eyes to look at the painting on the opposite wall.  "Glad I could show you something new, then.  Sometimes I feel like such a virgin, compared to you."

 

Kei chuckled.  "I'm older and have more experience.  You've got the imagination, Sho." 

 

He closed the taller man's robe reluctantly, hating to cover that toned body but afraid that he might get selfish with it if he kept it too accessible.  He tied the robe shut and straightened back up, combing his fingers through Shoe's hair before leaning in for a kiss on the mouth.  Sho kissed him back and embraced him.

 

"I want to take care of you, now."

 

Kei smiled quietly into the other man's hair, unsurprised.  He often teasingly accused Sho of being selfish, but that wasn't truly the case.  Sho's problem was that he lacked the ability to demonstrate his generosity without torturing himself in the process.  He often martyred himself needlessly.  He also had issues with just letting Kei give him pleasure for the sake of doing it, sometimes, and yet he often did so for Kei without any expectation of reciprocation.

 

"It's okay," murmured Kei with another kiss.  "Like you said; the sun's about to come up.  Let's just get undressed and go to bed."

 

"You sure?"  Sho squeezed him gently. 

 

"Of course," answered Kei easily.  "I know you'll take care of me another time.  You always do."

 

Sho nodded in agreement and nuzzled his hair.

 

~*************************~

* * *

 

The next evening, Sho made some phone calls and he put people onto getting as many details as possible about Hanyu Chan.  It would take time to get all of the information he wanted, so he contented himself with checking in on business, bullying Kei into letting him buy some wardrobe additions for him and watching over Hana as closely as he could, without alerting her to his presence. 

 

"She knows she's being watched," Kei warned him after the third night.  "She can sense it, Sho.  She told me so the night of her painting ceremony in the park, you know."

 

Sho stuck his hands into his coat pockets and looked at him.  "Some day soon, I'll work up the courage to meet her again, face to face."

 

Kei nodded, confident and supportive as always.  "I know you will."

 

~******************************~

* * *

 

_A few nights later, Uptown Mallepa:_

Hana finished her latest painting and she eyed it critically, tapping a paint-stained finger against her chin.  She still wasn't completely satisfied with the color blending in the hair, but she had only her memories from childhood and a few old photographs as a reference.  She smiled softly at the man in the painting, a wistful little sigh escaping her lips.

 

"Hana, it's almost time to close the studio tonight," warned Sandra from the hallway.  Her footsteps approached from behind as she walked into the room, and she came up behind the young artist and whistled softly at the painting.

 

"Ooh, he's cute.  Who is that?"

 

It took a moment for Hana to mentally translate what her agent said into Japanese.  Sandra was from America, with Scandinavian bloodlines that resulted in the flaxen blonde hair and blue eyes that were considered so exotic in Mallepa. An attractive, fair-skinned woman in her early thirties, Sandra was still learning to speak the local languages.

 

"He is my father," Hana said carefully in English, giving the taller woman a smile.

 

Sandra's eyebrows went up and her turquoise gaze slid over the attractive man in the painting again, taking in his braided ponytail, sculpted features and casually dangerous stance.  There was a lot of detail in the painting, and the subject had a pair of oval shades propped on his head, a knowing look in his eyes—which appeared to be an unusual shade for a Japanese man—and lips to keep a girl up at night.  He appeared to be standing in a doorway.

 

"No offense honey, but I've met your father," Sandra said with a smirk and a gesture at the painting, "and he's a nice looking man, but he doesn't look like _that_.  He dresses a lot more conservatively, too."

 

Hana again took a moment to translate, and she laughed softly and shook her head.  "No, no…that is my guardian.  Um…my…foster father.  This is my…how you say…blood father?"

 

"Oh, I see."  Sandra looked from her to the painting.  "I can see a resemblance in the bone structure, now that you mention it.  So, where is he now, if you don't mind my asking?"

 

Hana lowered her gaze and shrugged.  "I don't know.  He left after mother died."

 

Sandra's expression softened.  "He abandoned you?  Hana, I'm so sorry."

 

"No, not abandoned," insisted the Asian girl gently, "he gave me to my foster family.  He made sure I would be cared for.  He just had to go."

 

"Well, when was the last time you heard from him?"

 

Hana bit her lip and looked at the painting, nodding at it.  "This was my last memory of him.  It has been twelve years, now."

 

She remembered looking up at her father through her tears as he stood in the doorway, his handsome face full of grief and resolve.  She remembered him saying to her that he loved her, and he would always watch over her one way or another…and then he left.  A year later, Kei showed up again and he visited with her regularly, giving her advice when she needed it and telling her stories about her father—his best friend. 

 

Uncle Kei always told her that her father did what he thought was best for her, because he didn't believe he could give her the life she deserved, the way he had to live now.  He'd never explained exactly what that meant, and he always claimed he didn't know where Sho was or what he was doing.  Hana always suspected otherwise, but she was raised to be too polite to make demands of him, and she had her own theories after discovering the truth of Kei's nature.

 

"Hana?"

 

She shook herself out of her reverie and she smiled apologetically at the taller woman.  "I was just…remembering him.  I painted this to honor him.  Maybe someday, I can show him."

 

Sandra put an arm around her and she gave her an affectionate, sisterly squeeze.  "Are you sure he's still alive?" she asked gently. 

 

No, she wasn't absolutely _sure_ , but Hana believed she would feel it, if her father were dead, the way she felt it when her mother passed away.  "I hope so," she answered.

 

Sandra patted her arm and stepped away.  "Well for your sake, I hope so too.  I know a lot of people in this city grew up never knowing their biological parents, but not all of them are lucky enough to have a loving, stable foster family hand-picked for them."

 

Hana nodded, and her eyes stung a little.  "He loved me.  I know he did."

 

Sandra nodded.  "It's a gorgeous painting, Hana.  One of your best yet, in fact.  Now, come on so we can shut this place down for the night.  Do you feel like having a bite to eat?"

 

"Oh, I appreciate it," Hana assured, "but I am meeting Chan for dinner, tonight."

 

Sandra smiled.  "Then, you're all taken care of.  Let's get out of here."

 

~***********************~

* * *

 

He saw the two women step out of the studio together, and he stuck to the shadows and followed as they crossed the street to the parking garage.  He knew he was testing his luck and risking discovery, but ever since learning the identity of the man his daughter was dating, he couldn't resist spending his evenings watching over her.  Mafia disputes could easily get ugly enough to endanger the families of those involved, and until he knew there was no danger of Hana getting caught up in such a dispute and hurt or killed over it, Sho refused to let down his guard.  Yi-Che suffered sexual assault at the hands of a rival gang, before Sho met her.  It traumatized her for life, and it took a lot of care, patience and understanding for Sho to finally achieve sexual intimacy with her, after they married.  He'd die before he allowed the same thing to happen to their daughter.

 

In addition to the dangers of dating Mafia or gang members—of which there were plenty to be found in Mallepa—there were plenty of other threats to consider.  Even in the uptown areas of the metropolis, crime was high and unarmed women made attractive targets.  Sho felt a little better knowing that there were security cameras in the parking garage they were heading to, but he wasn't willing to take chances with his daughter's safety. 

 

As the two women made it into the entrance of the garage and the blonde paused to dig for her keys in her purse, Hana turned around to scan the street behind them with a puzzled little frown on her face.  Sho hastily ducked behind a car before her eyes could settle on him.  He waited for her to turn back around and keep walking, before resuming his surveillance.  He noticed a couple of guys heading for the parking garage from the opposite street and he narrowed his eyes when he saw them pull something out of their pockets that looked like sweater caps, from the distance.  Having performed several heists in his mortal years, their actions drew Sho's attention and when he saw them pull the caps down over their faces as masks, he knew his instincts weren't off.

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

"Hana, is something wrong?"  Sandra stopped to regard her companion, who had again stopped walking to look around curiously.

 

Hana shook her head uncertainly.  She was getting used to the feeling of being watched.  Most of the time, it meant Uncle Kei was somewhere nearby.  Lately, however, there was a different feel to it—though it wasn't a malevolent one.  "I just keep feeling like I'm forgetting something," excused the younger woman in Japanese.

 

Now it was Sandra's turn to pause and translate.  "Well, it can't be that important.  You have your keys, don't you?"

 

Hana nodded and jingled said keys. 

 

"Then let's get to our cars, and if you've left anything at the studio, you can get it tomorrow."  Sandra cast a nervous look around and smoothed a hand over her gray and white dress suit.  "I don't like sticking around inside these places, no matter how well lit—"

 

"Sandra!" shouted Hana in alarm when she saw the two dark-dressed male forms closing in on the blonde woman from behind. 

 

Sandra turned, and she immediately produced a can of mace from her purse and sprayed it directly in the masked face of the nearest man, just as he grabbed her handbag.  He yelled and shoved her hard, knocking her backwards into a nearby van.  She struck her head and went down in a heap, unmoving.

 

"No!  Let go!" Hana cried when the second one grabbed her purse in passing.  She vaguely remembered her father—her _true_ father—telling her long ago not to try and fight someone intent on snatching her purse, because money and ID could be replaced, but her life could not.  She let go of the handbag and stumbled as the two men ran off…one of them coughing, sputtering and staggering.  At least she still had the keys to her car, and Sandra's were just a few inches away from her hand on the concrete.

 

"Sandra," called Hana when she saw her agent lying there.  Forgetting about their stolen purses for the moment, she went to the other woman's side and knelt before her.  She shook her gently to rouse her when she found no blood.  "Sandra?  Do you need a doctor?"

 

The older woman groaned as she sat up with Hana's help, rubbing the back of her skull.  "No, I think I'm okay.  Are you?"

 

"I'm fine," assured Hana with a wary glance down the ramp, where the purse-snatchers had gone.  She intended to suggest that they should go and report the robbery to the police, even though it wasn't likely to make a difference, but then the sound of gunfire bounced off the walls of the parking garage, followed by the sound of shattering glass, a male scream and a vile curse.

 

"Oh my god, get down!" Sandra shouted, practically dragging the smaller woman with her between two cars. 

 

More shots went off, and it sounded like one or two skipped off the pavement.  Car alarms started to go off and people outside in the street shouted exclamations of alarm.  Unlike the south side of Mallepa, people tended to react with more alarm to gunshots, in this part of town.  Hana and Sandra huddled between vehicles together, covering their heads for protection.  There was no further gunfire, and some of the car alarms eventually stopped beeping.  For a little while, both women were too afraid to move, but then Sandra whispered a suggestion that they should get into her car since it was closest and get the hell out of there.

 

Hana agreed, and just as they started to get cautiously to their feet, they heard the approach of booted footsteps from the direction where the sounds of the conflict had come from.  Both women stopped and huddled down again.  Sandra adjusted her keys in her shaking hand, so that the points of them were sticking out from between her fingers, to be used as a makeshift weapon if necessary.  The blond woman put a trembling finger to her lips, silently warning her younger companion to be quiet as the footsteps came nearer and nearer.  Hana nodded convulsively and she mimicked Sandra's actions, adjusting her keys in her hand.  She didn't know if she could get violent, but she was her father's daughter and she was prepared to push herself, if she had to.

 

Her eyes went wide when she looked under the car she and her friend were hiding behind and she saw the booted feet approaching.  She recalled the purse-snatchers wearing sneakers, so she guessed this was someone else, coming their way.  She saw white material swishing behind the calves and she presumed it was the hem of a long coat.  The booted feet stopped, directly on the other side of the car that she and Sandra were hiding behind.  A drop of blood fell to the concrete by the left toe, splashing crimson as it struck.  A pair of handbags dropped abruptly in front of the black boots, and then the feet turned away.

 

Hana caught the faint scent of familiar cologne she hadn't smelled in years, and her lips parted to whisper one single, hopeful inquiry.  " _Tousan_?"

 

She scrambled to her feet, despite her companion's urgent warnings.  The hopeful smile on Hana's lips died when she found no sign of anyone standing there.  She swallowed and sniffed, taking in the last, lingering trace of the scent she missed so much.

 

"Where did he go?" demanded Sandra nervously, peeking up over the top of the car. 

 

"Whoever it was, he's gone," answered Hana, too nervous and disappointed to bother speaking English.  She retrieved their purses and handed Sandra's over to her.  "Here's your bag."

 

Sandra took it, and they both checked the contents impulsively.  "Everything's still in it," sighed the blonde.  "I don't understand…did one of them change his mind and bring them back, or did some random stranger just decide to go after those men and get our purses back for us?  And how did he get out of sight so fast?"

 

"I don't know," answered Hana truthfully.  Her head was spinning with possibilities, but she couldn't share them with her agent, if she didn't want her to think she was out of her mind.  "It doesn't matter…we have our bags back.  We should go to the police now and report what happened."

 

"Amen to that," sighed the blonde.

 

~**********************************~

* * *

 

Kei looked up from the book he was reading when his partner came in, and his mouth fell open at the sight of the bloodstains on his coat.  He put the book aside and hurried over to him as Sho staggered and coughed up a little stream of red.  He'd obviously been shot—not just once, but twice. 

 

"What _happened_?" demanded Kei.  "Are you hurt bad?  Is Hana okay?"

 

"I'm not as good at dodging bullets as you are," coughed Sho.  He looked down at the hole on the left, upper side of his coat and he poked a finger through it, his bloody lips frowning.  "But I guess I just don't even try, these days.  Assholes put a hole in my coat."

 

Presuming Sho wouldn't be bitching about his coat if his daughter weren't okay, Kei put aside his questions and helped the other man over to the futon.  At least they could wipe away any blood that got on the leather, before it set and stained.  He helped him get his coat and shirt off and he winced at the sight of the fresh bullet wounds.  He was sporting one in the left side where the new hole in his coat was, and another in the stomach, just to the right of his navel.  The blood poured sluggishly from both wounds and though they couldn't kill him, the bullets needed to come out.  Unfortunately, they couldn't risk taking him to a hospital to have a doctor do it.  One blood test, and the gig would be up.

 

"Try to be still," advised Kei.  "I'll get some water and towels, so we can take care of this.  You'll get weak if we leave you to bleed like this." 

 

Seeing Sho glance mournfully at his stained, damaged coat, Kei smirked.  "We'll have another one tailored for you, just like it.  It's only a coat."

 

"Says the guy who still has the same red jacket he wore when I met him," countered Sho.

 

Kei shrugged, giving up the argument.  He went into the kitchen and he called out to him as he gathered what he needed to see to his injuries.  "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

 

"I was watching over Hana like I have been every night," answered Sho, "and these punks followed her and her friend into the parking garage after they left the studio.  They took their purses, so I took them back.  I shot one and broke the other's neck, but as you can see, they got a couple of shots in before I finished them off."

 

Kei paused and grimaced.  "Did either of them get hurt?  The girls, I mean."

 

"The blonde one bumped her head," answered Sho, "but Hana was okay."

 

Kei nodded, relieved.  "Good.  I’m glad you were there to help them…but I almost wish you hadn't gotten into a firefight over a couple of handbags.  In that part of town, murders get taken more seriously, Sho.  If the girls weren't in physical danger, maybe it would have been better to let authorities handle it."

 

"They wouldn't have.  You know that.  They might investigate more thoroughly on that side if there's an assault, car theft or murder, but purse snatching is like shoplifting.  They would have gotten away with it and _nobody_ takes from my little girl."

 

Kei couldn't fully contain a grin of amusement as he returned to the living room with towels draped over his arm and a bowl of hot water in one hand.  He looked down at his companion and shook his head.  "Doting vampire father.  She's probably safer than any other daughter in Mallepa."

 

"And she has a protective vampire uncle, too," reminded Sho.  He took one of the towels offered to him and he sat up to place it under his body, to protect the futon from blood.  "If you had been there, you would have done the same.  Admit it."

 

"Maybe," allowed Kei as he squatted before him and began to dab at the wounds with the dampened washcloth, "but I would have tried to dodge these.  You probably left some DNA evidence behind for them to find.  We may not leave fingerprints anymore, but the blood won't vanish unless sunlight happens to hit it and burn it up before they find it.  Lift your left arm, so I can get a better look."

 

"Trying to scare me?"  Sho grunted as he raised his arm compliantly. 

 

"I'm just trying to remind you that they might not brush this off as a gang rivalry," answered Kei in a distracted tone.  He narrowed his eyes and located the bullet, barely visible within the open, bloody wound.  He cleaned the injury some more and he advised his companion to hold the washcloth over it and apply pressure, while he went to retrieve some tweezers and antiseptic from the bathroom. 

 

"If they decide to investigate deeply," he called out as he checked the cabinets and under the sink for what he needed, "it could lead back to us, and we'll have to leave Mallepa to avoid arrest.  It's going to be hard to watch over Hana, if that happens."

 

"Yeah, I know," sighed the injured vampire.

 

Kei returned to the living room again and he knelt before his companion as he sterilized the tweezers for the task ahead of him.  "Then you need to be more careful.  Don't just take every slug and cut coming your way just because they can't kill you, Sho.  Maybe you like pain, but every drop of blood you leave behind puts you at risk."

 

"Are you finished lecturing me?"

 

Kei gave him a brief little smile.  "For now.  Hold still."

 

Sho complied as best he could; grunting in pain as the blond carefully began to work the first bullet out of the wound.  "Kei…I think she might have seen me."

 

Kei stopped and looked up at him.  "Hana?"

 

Sho nodded.  "I’m not sure, though.  I wasn't in her direct line of sight, but when I brought the handbags back to where the girls were hiding, I heard her call out: ' _Dad?_ '.  I panicked and got out of there right away, after that."

 

Kei considered the information and nodded, resuming his efforts.  "Maybe she doesn't _need_ to see you, to recognize your presence.  She's your daughter.  You two have a blood bond."

 

Sho didn't seem very pleased with the conclusion.  "So then she may know I'm back in town."

 

"If she doesn't yet, she probably will eventually," answered Kei.  "As long as you keep tailing her like this, she'll keep picking up on it.  It's up to you how you want her to find out, Sho.  You already know my feelings on it."

 

Sho grimaced and shut his eyes, saying no more as his companion finished removing the slugs from his body and treated the wounds. 

 

~*******************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued


	2. Chapter 2

**"Bound by blood"**

Chapter 2

A "Moon Child" fan fanfiction

~***********************~

* * *

 

Disclaimer: I do not own "Moon child" or any of the characters.  This is strictly a non-profit endeavor, written for entertainment purposes only.

****

~**************************~

* * *

 

He approached the beach slowly, wondering how he'd even gotten there.  He didn't remember driving, walking or riding to the location, but he must have.  Kei didn't find it all that strange, because he had been known on rare occasion to walk in his sleep.  It usually happened when he was dealing with a lot of stress and angst.  The only question on his mind was how in the world he'd managed to make it all the way to the beach before sunrise.  By the look of the graying horizon, the sun was on its way up now. 

 

Kei looked around and tried to decide whether he was better off trying to run back to the street and call a cab, or hole up in the beach cave where he and Sho took refuge the last time.  Calling his partner on the cell phone wouldn't do him much good, because even if Sho made it there in his convertible on time, they'd never make it back home again before the sun finished cresting the horizon.  Still, he thought maybe he should call him anyway, to let him know where he was in case he awoke before Kei made it back and wondered where he'd gone.  

 

"He's going to be pissed," predicted Kei as he shook his bangs out of his eyes.  The salty breeze blew them back in the way again.  Maybe it was time for him to consider another hair cut.  Shrugging, he put it on the back shelf for now and he dug for his cell phone.  It didn't occur to him to wonder why he was fully dressed and carrying the item on him, if he'd really walked here in his sleep.

 

Just as Kei was about to dial the number to the apartment, he noticed something on the beach that gave him pause.  Two men were standing there in the sand, by the water.  As the sky lightened further, he began to recognize them and he stumbled forward with a severe frown on his lips. 

 

"Luka," he murmured, shaking his head.  "It _can't_ be."

 

Standing beside the older man was Sho.  They were both dressed in their favorite ensembles and they began to sing the dawn greeting, taught to him by Luka long ago.  Their deep voices complimented one another and the haunting melody carried over to Kei on the breeze.

 

"Hey, what are you doing?" he called out as he started toward them.  The sun crested the horizon at that moment and he was forced to squint against the intensity of the glare.  It shouldn't be so bright this early, but it was rising fast.

 

"Sho!  Luka!  Come away from there!  There's time to find shelter!"

 

Kei almost tripped in the sand, and he found it difficult to move through the gritty substance.  It seemed to cling to his feet and ankles, hampering his movements like quicksand.  Up ahead of him, backlit by the orange sun, both of his beloved companions began to catch fire.

 

" _Nooo!  Don't just stand there!_ "  Kei hardly noticed or cared that he too was beginning to smolder.  All that mattered to him was that he had to save these two vampires from the sun.  Friend…brother…ally…lover…both Luka and Sho were everything to him, and they were about to go up in smoke.

 

Both of them began to turn, their burning profiles appearing almost angelic in the harsh morning sunlight.  "You should have burned too," Luka told him.  "You lack conviction, Kei."

 

"I was ready to leave the world with you," Sho said.  "And join our friends in the afterlife.  You lost your nerve."

 

"I'm sorry," Kei apologized in a tortured voice, "I was afraid!  Please…don't go! Don't leave me!"

 

"Burn with us, Kei," commanded Luka, "and we'll never leave you."

 

"It's what you really want anyhow," added Sho, "otherwise you wouldn't have been asking for the death penalty when they had you in prison.  Stop fighting it and just let go, like we are."

 

"N-no," moaned Kei, his teeth clenching in pain as his skin began to burn.  He couldn't move his feet and he yelled helplessly as both his mentor and his best friend burst completely into flame.  " _Noooo!_ "

 

~**********************************~

* * *

 

"Kei, what the hell are you _doing_?"

 

Kei felt the heavy impact of a body against his, followed by the painful slam of the floor beneath his back.  He hissed in pain as he felt some of his skin peel off on the floor where his arm pressed against it, and he looked up in confusion at the fine-structured face and livid blue eyes hovering over him.  He recognized Sho and he parted his lips to speak, but the smell of his own burning skin made him sneeze, instead.  He had time to notice that smoke was curling up from Sho's naked back, where a sunbeam shone through the window onto it.  He was rolled swiftly but carefully toward the wall, beneath the angle of the light, before Sho got up and yanked the curtains closed.

 

"What…happened?" Kei clenched his teeth against the pain of raw, blistered skin and he looked up at his companion warily.

 

"You tell me," Sho muttered, squatting down beside him.  "I woke up from a dead sleep to hear you shouting my name in the living room, and when I came out to see what was happening, I found you standing in front of the window with the curtains wide open, about to catch fire in the sunlight."

 

Kei looked up at the now shut curtains, wincing.  "A dream," he said, his voice tense with pain.  Funny, he'd dreamed that he sleepwalked to the beach, and in reality he had sleepwalked to the big window in the living room and subconsciously tried to fry himself.

 

Sho sighed and squatted down next to him, the long muscles in his bare legs bunching with the motion.  "Was it the one you usually have?  The one about Luka?"  His eyes stared straight ahead and his expression was carefully neutral in that detached, inhuman way he'd adopted during his isolation. 

 

Kei sat up gingerly and shook his head.  "It was different, this time.  You were in it."

 

Sho looked at him sidelong, his blue eyes subtly curious.  "I was?"

 

"Yes.  You were…burning with him.  I was yelling for both of you to seek cover, but you just stood there together, and I couldn't get to you to stop it."

 

Sho's cool expression softened, and his gaze swept the blond up and down, revealing a touch of worry.  "So you weren't trying to greet the dawn without me?"

 

"Of course not," assured Kei.  His breath shivered with lingering pain as his body began to heal from the close call—though not fast enough to suit him.  "I wouldn't beg you not to go and then try to sneak out of this life without you."

 

Sho lowered his eyes.  "I wondered.  You said you couldn't watch me burn, so I thought…maybe…you wanted to go first, so that you wouldn't have to see it."

 

"No," insisted Kei.  He reached up slowly and gingerly to brush his pale bangs away from his eyes, and he looked at the other man with sincere warmth.  "I would never do something dirty like that, Sho."

 

Sho's mouth quirked briefly.  "I hope not, because if we're going to fry, I want it to be together.  I think that was why I never went through with it on my own."

 

"Me too," agreed Kei.  "I don't know what drove me to pull those curtains open, except for maybe guilt.  I promise you though…I wouldn't want to face the sun without you at my side."

 

Sho looked at him sidelong.  "Promise?"

 

Kei nodded again, despite the pain it caused him.  "I swear.  I'll never willingly burn without you."

 

Sho looked away for a moment, then looked back at him, and for the first time since Toshi's death, he gave him an open, white-toothed smile and he burst into soft laughter.  Completely missing what was so funny, yet distracted and affected by the other man's laugh, Kei began to smile back.

 

"What did I say?"

 

Sho bowed his head and dragged his fingers through his mussed, half-braided hair, still chuckling under his breath.  "Nothing.  It's just…we're both so fucked up.  Who makes promises like ours?"

 

Kei found himself starting to laugh as well.  "I don't know…maybe other vampires, like us?"

 

"I’m pretty sure there _aren't_ any other vampires like us," Sho remarked, snickering.  "They wouldn't survive long, if they were."

 

The remark made Kei start to snicker too, but the motion unfortunately caused him substantial discomfort and he vocalized it helplessly.  "Ah…stop.  Laughing hurts."

 

Sho sobered a bit, his gaze softening now that his shell had once again cracked.  "Put your arms around my neck," he offered, "and I'll take you into the bedroom.  We have the whole day ahead of us and if you get enough rest, you should be healed by nightfall."

 

Kei agreed with that and with a bit of effort, he put his arms around Sho's neck as instructed.  The other vampire carefully slipped one arm beneath Kei's knees and supported his shoulders with the other.  Kei hissed in pain as the cotton sleeping pants stuck to his skin when his companion lifted him, and Sho impulsively brushed those velvety-soft lips over his sweat-beaded forehead. 

 

"We can get you undressed once I have you back in bed," offered Sho. 

 

He lifted him gently and carried him out of the living room, through the hallway and into the main bedroom.  He eased him down on the double bed carefully, and he started trying to remove the pajama bottoms.  When Kei groaned in pain and shook his head, Sho stopped.  He regarded the blond silently for a moment, before stretching out beside him onto the bed.

 

"I'll be okay," promised Kei softly.  "I'll just need to shower and wash these pants when I wake up later."

 

"You're healing too slowly," Sho remarked, his deep voice soft and concerned.

 

"I need to feed again," sighed Kei.  "We both do.  It's been over a week."

 

Sho seemed to absorb his words for a moment, before propping himself up on one elbow and brushing his braids away from the side of his neck.  He looked down at Kei as he leaned over him and he stroked his side with one hand. 

 

"Let me share with you," he offered softly.  "It will help your skin heal faster, so you can rest."

 

Kei hesitated.  There was no "nutritional value" to biting another vampire, because they all suffered the same deficiencies that caused them to require human blood in the first place.  However, there were healing benefits to sharing blood with another vampire who had recently fed, if no human blood was available.

 

"Like you said," coaxed Sho, "we need to feed again tonight, anyway.  I'll get back whatever I share with you, Kei.  Go ahead."

 

Kei looked at the tempting column of his lover's throat and he couldn't resist.  He clutched Sho's arm to urge him closer and he lifted his head with his help.  He reveled in the smooth texture of the other man's skin as he tasted it on his lips and tongue, and then he extended his fangs and bit down.  Sho gasped and tensed, but he didn't pull away.  He stroked Kei's hair and murmured to him, hardening in his briefs as the blond's bite put him in a state of pleasure.  Kei fed gently on him and he caressed his body as he did so, grateful beyond measure to have him at his side.

 

~************************~

* * *

 

The next evening, Sho's contacts got back to him with more details about the sort of work Hanyu did within the Mafia.  Kei listened quietly to a one-sided conversation while his partner paced back and forth over the floor of the living room.

 

"No drugs?" Sho asked.  "Good.  I want to know the minute anything changes, understood?  Yes.  I'm satisfied with that.  Goodbye."

 

Kei raised an eyebrow at him when Sho hung up the phone and sighed.  "Well?  Is he going to survive dating Hana or not?"

 

Sho went to the big window and looked out at the cityscape, wearing that dreadfully impassive expression that troubled Kei so much.  Sometimes he felt like Sho was more inhuman than he was, despite his younger age. 

 

"For now," answered Sho softly.  He reached out and smoothed the curtains.  "I'm going to see about having special shutters installed on these windows."

 

"We could move," suggested Kei hesitantly.  "There are places in the city with basement levels, and we could definitely afford it."

 

Sho gave a brief, single nod—one of acknowledgement, not agreement.  "I like it here."

 

Kei looked around at their surroundings.  The apartment was nothing to brag about and the building was older, with plumbing problems.  Still, they had made the place into a home in Sho's youth and he had to admit, it _felt_ like home still.  That was why he'd bought it, after Sho left.

 

"You're sure?  The memories don't bother you?"

 

Sho gazed up at the night sky, visible through the streaked glass of the window.  "I cling to them.  The memories of this place are from a happier time, when everyone was alive and young, and we were all together."  He turned and looked at Kei, revealing emotion in his glittering eyes, if not his face.  "Tell me I’m torturing myself."

 

Kei lowered his gaze and shook his head.  "It isn't torture if it comforts you.  I understand, Sho."  He raised his eyes to him again and tilted his head gracefully, in that thoughtful way of his that he wasn't even consciously aware of.  "It's important to remember the best things from the past.  We had fun, didn't we?"

 

Sho glanced out the window again, and his reflection stared back at Kei.  That was another false supposition concerning vampires; the idea that they didn't cast reflections.  "We did.  We had a lot of fun."  He turned to look at him again and he considered him for a moment.  Sho held a hand out invitingly to him.  "Come here."

 

Kei looked at the outstretched hand, before unfolding his legs and getting up from the couch.  He approached his companion with a quiet smile, and he put an arm around him as he joined him at the window.  Sho pulled him close and brushed his lips against his temple, closing his eyes.

 

"I'm glad you're here, Kei.  I'm glad you stayed."

 

The shorter man was somewhat taken off-guard by the endearment.  When he was mortal, Sho tended to make it regularly known that he valued--or even _needed_ \--Kei's company.  Since being turned, he'd been conservative about it, and the tables had turned.  Now it was usually Kei who expressed his dependence on Sho's companionship.  Feeling like the relationship was again drifting back into something familiar, Kei rubbed his head against Sho's and he sighed.

 

"I'm always going to be here, Sho.  I promise."  Sensing that they were on the verge of getting hopelessly mired in drama, Kei changed the subject.  "What information did they have for you on Chan?"

 

"He deals mostly with laundering, smuggling imports and gambling," answered Sho.  "I'm not crazy about it, but he could be doing a lot worse as a Mafia player in Mallepa.  For now, we'll watch him.  Even without being involved in the violent, more risky parts of the trade, he could make enemies."

 

"I agree," murmured Kei, "and his family still has enemies, too."

 

"We have to stay sharp."  Sho stroked Kei's hair and stared out at the evening sky.  "Never let our guard down, until we know Hana is safe from being a target."

 

"I'll stay diligent," promised Kei.  "You know I will."

 

Sho nodded in agreement before pulling away from him.  "Let's hunt.  We're both getting weak."

 

~*********************************~

* * *

 

_A couple of nights later:_

Kei looked around at the carnage, shaking his head.  "Well, _this_ didn't go as planned." 

 

He grimaced at his companion, still sucking away at some hapless guy's throat.  It probably didn't matter now if he drained him to death, but they'd made a pact to try and help each other control their bloodlust.  "Sho…you need to stop."

 

Sho didn't seem to hear his half-hearted warning.  Kei bit his lip and approached, prepared to try and pull the other vampire off of his prey physically, if he had to.  This gang had opened fire on _them_ in the middle of negotiations, so they had brought this on themselves.  Still, it was for his and Sho's sake that they learn better self-control.

 

"Sho…" Seeing the blank, staring eyes of the young man, Kei gave up with a resigned sigh and a shrug.  He combed his fingers through his hair to get his long bangs out of his eyes, and looked around.  The goods they had come to barter for were supposedly in the crate by the old truck, at the other end of the warehouse.  He walked over to it, trying to ignore the bodies he stepped over.  One young man had died halfway strewn over the crate, and the blood from his bullet wounds seeped sluggishly in death, trickling over the battered wood.

 

Kei stared at one life-giving, ruby drop as it dripped from the tip of the dead man's middle finger and struck the floor.  He still tasted the other man he'd fed on.  Like his companion, he hadn't stopped in time, but this situation was different from a deliberate hunt.  They didn't come here intending to kill anyone or to feed, but these men forced their hands.  They had paid the ultimate price for their greed.

 

Kei lifted the corpse away from the crate and set it down on the floor with ease.  He drew his gun and shot the padlock, before forcing the crate open.  When he looked inside, he sighed again.  He felt Sho coming up behind him and he grimaced, bracing himself.

 

"No watches?" guessed Sho.

 

"Not unless watches look like empty air, these days.  They didn't even bother to put fake containers in here to give the illusion that they had something to sell us."

 

Sho peered over his shoulder into the empty crate, and he dug his pack of cigarettes out of the back pocket of his trousers.  "Hmph…big surprise."  He tapped one out of the pack and put it between his lips.  "They had no intention of selling us anything.  Looks like I need to have a talk with their boss."

 

"I'll call your people and let them know what happened," offered Kei.

 

Sho nodded, and the blond took out his cell phone.  Miraculously, it hadn't fallen out of his baggy black pants during the firefight.  Though this night didn't go as planned, Kei had to admit he enjoyed the old thrill of fighting at Sho's side again as a business partner.  The little smile that the other man gave him as he prepared to make his call too indicated that Sho felt the same. 

 

"It's Kei," said the blond in Japanese when their go-between answered the phone.  "It was an ambush.  They just wanted to lure us here and take our money.  Put the word out not to trust Clan Xu.  The boss is dealing with it and he'll get back to you when he decides what he wants to do."

 

"You screwed us," Sho was saying in Mandarin to the person on the other end of his call.  "Your people came with an empty box and they opened fire on mine."  He nudged the body by the crate with his black suede boot and it rolled limply onto its side.  "You've lost nine guys.  If you don't want to find out how many more you can lose, you'll send compensation to my people right away."

 

Kei finished his call and he stood waiting while Sho listened to whatever the man on the other line was saying.  He watched his partner take a drag and frown, and he guessed Sho didn't like what he was hearing.  The blue eyes met his briefly and a silent signal passed between them.  This wasn't going to end well for the Xu clan and some of Sho's people, he could tell.

 

"I gave you a chance to make amends," Sho said in a low, dangerous voice.  "Be careful of where you step from here on out."

 

Kei sighed and looked down at his feet.  More enemies…great.  At least he couldn't say they were at fault for this one.  Sho took a gamble in trusting these people to make good on their bargain, and the Rolex market was lucrative in Mallepa, right now.  It would have turned enough profit to keep their people well paid for months, if they had been able to get their hands on the sought-after merchandise to re-sell it.

 

"What's your decision?" Kei asked when Sho put his phone away.

 

The taller man absently checked the barrel of his pistol, before holstering it at his hip again.  He spread his hands and shrugged.  "I leave that up to them.  We aren't doing business with their district anymore and if they give us any shit, we'll make them pay for it."

 

Kei relaxed a little.  He'd half-expected Sho to announce that they were going to war against Clan Xu, after such a stunt.  "I think that's a good idea."

 

Sho tapped his ashes onto the floor and he looked at him knowingly.  "You just don't want more conflict."

 

Kei shrugged.  "I've never enjoyed conflict.  I don't go _looking_ for it, like you do."

 

Sho's expression was stone.  "While we're protecting Hana, I won't look for it.  If it happens to find me, though…" He shrugged again, meaningfully.

 

"I understand," sighed Kei, "and I'll be right there at your side, teaching the troublemakers a lesson."  He walked over to his companion and looked at his cigarette.  "Give me a drag, would you?"

 

"No."  Sho pulled away from him when the blond reached out.  "You quit."

 

"Maybe I want to start again.  Come on, give me a drag."

 

Sho cracked a bare hint of a smile and jerked aside as Kei tried to nab the smoke from between his lips.  "Too slow."

 

"Don't be an asshole."  Kei tried to snatch the cigarette again, smiling in spite of himself. 

 

Sho ducked and lunged away.  The playful spark ignited behind his eyes again, and he dug out a fresh cigarette from the pack in the breast pocket of his shirt.  "You really want one?"  He waved the object teasingly with one hand, while taking another drag from his already lit cigarette with the other.

 

"Yes, I _really_ want one," insisted Kei.  "You're a bad influence.  Give it to me, already."

 

"Hold your hand up like this."  Sho demonstrated, holding his cigarette up between his first and middle finger. 

 

Remembering the little trick they'd worked so hard to master back in the day, Kei grinned and shook his head.  The one single time he'd managed to toss a cigarette between Sho's fingers from a distance had been a fluke.  They had never been able to duplicate it again, vampire reflexes or not.  "You'll never make it."

 

"Yes I will," insisted Sho, "you'll see.  If you could do it, so can I.  Just hold your fingers out, so I have a target."

 

Looking around at the mess in the building, Kei thought they could be doing more important things right now than testing whether Sho could aim a cigarette between his spread fingers.  He almost said so aloud, but that part of his mind that had been agonizing over how cold his companion could be reminded him that games like this were the key to keeping Sho remotely human. 

 

"Fine.  If you think you can do it, then go for it."  He obligingly held his hand up with the first two fingers spread, and he looked at Sho expectantly.  "Whenever you're ready."

 

Sho closed one eye and measured the distance, while reading his projectile of choice.  Kei was hard put not to snicker when he noticed the tip of his companion's tongue poking out one side of his mouth in concentration.  He started to tease him again, positive that Sho wasn't even aware of the face he was pulling.  Before he could do so, the other man flicked the cigarette across the distance and because he was so distracted by the look on his face, Kei failed to dodge it in time.  It hit him in the forehead and Sho's deep, resonant laugh was like music to his ears.

 

"You did that on purpose," accused Kei, bending over to pick the item up.  Unfortunately, it had landed in a small pool of blood and it was ruined.  Kei sighed.

 

"No, I didn't," denied Sho, "but it was fun to watch you in that position, for a change.  Here."  He pulled out a fresh cigarette and closed the distance, holding it out for him.

 

Kei took it with mumbled thanks and he cupped his hand over the flame when the other man produced his lighter to fire it up for him.  He took a slow, deep drag and shut his eyes, savoring the burn as he inhaled the smoke.  Perhaps he couldn't get addicted to it the way mortals did anymore, but he admitted to himself that he'd missed the act of smoking.  Like Sho said; it calmed the nerves and mellowed the mind.

 

"Better?" asked Sho.

 

Kei nodded and tilted his head back to blow the smoke up into the air.  He looked around at the evidence of their encounter with a frown.  "We should probably go.  I think I can here sirens in the distance, and we can't be sure it isn't related to this."

 

Sho listened and nodded in agreement.  "Stick to the shadows and move fast, like we did when we came in."

 

"Meet you at the car."

 

Just like that, both vampires were gone.  Sho had taken the precaution of parking his car a few blocks away, so that it wouldn't be anywhere near the scene of the exchange.  He'd gone into this negotiation expecting trouble, and Kei thought it was a smart move to avoid the risk of any witnesses identifying his vehicle near the warehouse.  It seemed that Sho was becoming more adept at predicting conflicts, before they happened.

 

~******************************~

* * *

 

_Two nights later, in the North district of Mallepa:_

Hana stepped outside of her family home, intending to get some fresh air.  She smiled at the ring on her finger, admiring it.  Hanyu had given her just what she asked for: a simple but elegant design, not too expensive.  He'd wanted to give her something more extravagant, but the silver and jade twist ring was more suited to her than a big, expensive diamond. 

 

"Hana, we're opening a bottle of the good wine tonight," her foster father called from inside the house, "to celebrate the good news!"

 

She looked over her shoulder at the screen door.  "Okay!" 

 

She could see the dining room through it and she smiled at the sight of her foster mother lighting candles on the table.  She smiled at the sight, and she sighed.  She was truly grateful to them for taking her in.  They lost their natural daughter at birth, and could no longer conceive after that.  She loved them very much, but she had never forgotten her birth parents.  She still thought of the last time her father bought her cotton candy in the park.  It was the last happy moment they had together, though it was laced with sadness because her mother lay dying in the hospital, at the time.

 

She sensed eyes on her and she took a wary step toward the front door, looking out from the porch onto the street.  Even in the suburbs, Mallepa could be a very dangerous place.  She narrowed her eyes when she spotted the familiar figure of a man with shoulder-length, feathered blond hair.  He wasn't particularly tall and his slim build wasn't intimidating by itself, but something about his stance and his eyes warned that he was a very dangerous man—and yet to Hana, he was an honorary uncle, and not at all intimidating.

 

"Kei?"

 

He stepped out of the shadows and beneath the street lamp, giving her one of his quiet, reserved little smiles.  "Hello, Hana.  I didn't mean to startle you."

 

"Oh, you didn't startle me," she assured him with a little bow and a smile.  She stepped down off of the porch to greet him at the sidewalk, casting a quick look over her shoulder at the house.  "I know it sounds strange, but I can tell when you're watching me.  I think I'm just so used to it now, I can sense your presence."

 

Kei stuck his hands into the pockets of his loose black pants.  He wore a button-down, long-sleeved crimson shirt and a pair of black oxfords with the outfit, and the top three buttons of his shirt were undone.  A silver crane pendant hung from his neck and rested against his clavicle, and it glinted in the yellow light.

 

"I'm sorry for coming by unannounced," he apologized softly, "but I didn't exactly plan it.  I was coming through this part of town on business, and when I realized I was close to your home, I came by.  I just wanted to check in on you."

 

Hana smiled at him.  Uncle Kei was always checking in on her now and then, as he had done since the day her father left.  "Thank you.  Everything is fine."

 

Kei looked her up and down, as if assuring himself that she wasn't injured.  She found that odd, until he told her why he felt compelled to come and see her tonight.  "I heard about the attack on you and your friend, earlier this week.  I just wanted to be sure you're okay."

 

"How did you hear?" she asked.

 

Kei shrugged and looked down at his feet, scuffing his shoes on the sidewalk.  "I have some friends in the police force."

 

"Oh.  Well, it was scary, but they only took our purses.  My friend Sandra hit her head, but she went to see a doctor that night and they said it was only a minor bump."

 

Kei nodded.  "That's what I heard, but I wanted to be sure.  You may not have been physically hurt, but I know an experience like that can really scare a person."

 

She smiled again and shook her head.  "I grew up in Mallepa, and though my family has sheltered me more than kids living in other parts of town, I know how to handle myself.  I have you and father to thank for that, Kei.  Please, don't worry."

 

He smiled back at her and gave her a nod.  "Okay.  I still wish you would let me buy you a little hand gun to carry with you."

 

"I don't like guns," she reminded him gently, "and I don't have the temperament to shoot a person.  It would just get taken from me and used against me.  Father always said people who aren't willing to shoot someone should never own a gun for anything more than target practice."

 

"True, but I think he'd prefer you to have one, all the same."  Kei sighed, and his eyes caught sight of her new ring.  "That's pretty.  I don't remember ever seeing it before."

 

She looked down at the ring and she smiled, spreading her fingers delicately to show it off.  "Chan gave it to me.  It's…an engagement ring."

 

Kei's expression froze briefly.  "Hanyu Chan?  You're…engaged to him, now?"

 

She nodded enthusiastically, blushing.  "We've been seeing each other for months.  I know I only recently told you about him, but I wasn't sure how serious it would get, until recently."

 

"It's okay," soothed the vampire.  "I'm just a little surprised."

 

"You aren't angry?" she pressed, uncertain.  Kei could be difficult to read at times, often seeming dispassionate about things on the surface, though very protective of her.  She wanted his approval.  He was her Uncle Kei, after all—the last link to her old life and her father still available to her.

 

"No, I'm not angry," he answered.  Under his breath, he muttered something that sounded like: _"I'm not the one to worry about."_

Hana frowned.  "Kei?"

 

He looked up and he shook his head, forcing a smile. "It's nothing.  I know this is probably a stupid question, but do you love him?"

 

She nodded, smiling.  "Of course.  He's very good to me, and he supports my art.  He wants to see me get my own gallery, some day."

 

"That's good," approved Kei. 

 

"Hana?  Dinner is ready," called Hana's foster mother from the house.  "Come inside and tell us how he proposed!"

 

She blushed as Kei grinned at her, and she turned to call out to her mother.  "I'll be right in!"  She turned to face him again, biting her lip.  "I should go.  You could…join us…if you want?  I know food is useless to you, but you're always welcome in this house."

 

He reached out and patted her on the head—his way of giving her a hug without actually giving one.  "Thank you, but I have somewhere to be and I know your foster parents aren't comfortable around me.  This is your special night, so go and enjoy it."

 

She smiled and gave him another bow.  "Thank you, Kei."  She hesitated, wanting to ask him the burning question on her mind.  _Someone_ had chased those robbers down and gotten hers and Sandra's purses back single-handedly.  He'd vanished as soon as he dropped the recovered items before them, and Kei was the only person she knew that could do something like that.

 

"Is something the matter?" Kei asked her softly.

 

"Were you there, the night we were assaulted?  Is that really how you knew it happened?"  She held her breath, waiting for his answer.  It would explain some things, and she reckoned she could even presume Kei sometimes wore her father's brand of cologne—though she'd never smelled it on him before.

 

"No," he answered, shaking his head.  "I wasn't there.  I wish I were, so that I could have protected you."

 

She accepted his answer, feeling a strange sense of relief.  If he had said "yes", then she would have had to accept the fact that her father wasn't responsible for the unexpected help she and Sandra had gotten, that night. 

 

"Not even _you_ can be everywhere at once," she reminded him gently.  "I just wondered, though.  Someone stopped those men and brought our purses back, but he moved too fast for us to thank him.  I thought…maybe…it was you."

 

Kei blinked and stiffened a little.  "I'm sorry.  I wish I could say that it was.  Whoever he was, I'm grateful to him for intervening."

 

"He must have been like you," she reasoned, looking him up and down.  "No regular man could do what he did and just…vanish."

 

"You were in shock," excused Kei, "and you were scared.  Sometimes the mind plays tricks with us, under those circumstances.  He probably had a friend or two with him, and you just never saw them.  There are plenty of reasonable explanations, Hana."

 

"Maybe."  She watched him suspiciously; unable to help but feel he was keeping something from her.  "Kei…if he came back and you knew it, would you tell him?  I would…like him there for the wedding."

 

A flash of emotion crossed his face before he quelled it, and he sighed.  "I would be sure to tell him, Hana.  I promise, I would extend the invitation to him for you."

 

"Hana?" called her foster father from the house.  "Dinner is going to get cold!  What are you doing?"

 

"Sorry, Otousan!  I'm coming!"  She gave Kei one last, tremulous smile and a bow.  "I really have to go now, but thank you. I trust you to keep your word, Kei."

 

~****************************~

* * *

 

Kei watched as the young woman climbed back up the steps of the porch and went to the door.  Her foster father had come looking for her, and he opened the screen door for her to go inside.  Hana gave Kei one last glance before going inside.  For a moment, her foster father stood there looking at Kei with an uncertain expression on his face.  Unlike Sho, he had aged over the years.  He now sported a matching set of silver wings at his temples—an attractive and graceful mark of his years.  His eyes met Kei's and he gave the vampire a polite, reserved nod. 

 

Kei nodded back, and he took his cue and turned to go.  There was no need for an exchange of words between himself and Mr. Narita.  It had been an understanding since Sho relinquished Hana to him and his wife that Kei was to be allowed to be involved, even if it was from a distance.  Narita and his wife honored that agreement, while Kei honored the promise he'd made to Sho to watch over her. 

 

Thinking of that promise and the vampire he'd made it to, Kei groaned.  Hana was engaged…that was a difficult enough thing for any father to face.  Her being engaged to the nephew of the man who had taken so much from Sho just made it _so_ much worse.  Kei was certain that Hana didn't realize the connection; even if she did know her fiancé was involved in Mafia activities. She had been a mere child when her uncle got gunned down after drawing a weapon on Hanyu's uncle.  Sho only told her that there had been a horrible accident, and that her uncle had gone to be with their ancestors.  Now his one and only child was promised to a member of Chan's family. 

 

"He's not going to like this at all," predicted Kei unhappily. 

 

~**********************~

* * *

 

"Did you stop by to see Hana?"

 

Kei nodded, not meeting Sho's eyes.  "Yes.  She was about to have dinner with her fam—I mean, her foster parents."

 

"You can say 'family'," Sho told him, a sliver of ruefulness creeping into his voice.  He stared at the television screen without any real interest, hardly paying attention to the late night news.  "I chose them because I knew they would be the family she needed.  I don't resent them."

 

Kei sighed.  "That isn't what worries me.  Sho, I think it's more important than ever that you try to re-connect with Hana.  She's engaged to Hanyu Chan, now."

 

Sho immediately muted the television.  "If that's a joke, it isn't funny."

 

Looking warily determined, the blond shook his head.  "It isn't a joke.  She told me after I noticed the new ring on her finger.  He must have just recently proposed."

 

Sho flipped the remote around in his hand for a minute, before putting it on the coffee table and getting up out of the couch.  He walked over to the window and he crossed his bare arms over his chest.  He wore a sleeveless black shirt and a pair of gray jeans.  Kei had picked the outfit out for him, and it was more the blond's style of garb than Sho's.  He'd worn it because Kei thought he looked good in it.

 

"Does she love him?"  He wouldn't look at his companion as he asked the question.  Instead, he stared through the window at the neon advertisement sign across the street.

 

"I think she does," Kei answered, watching him from the couch with his hands resting on his spread knees.  "She says he's good to her, and I believe her.  Hana isn't lacking self-awareness, Sho.  She knows what she wants, and we should trust her with her decision."

 

Sho closed his eyes.  What could he do?  He'd chosen to make his fortune and start his family with Yi-Che in Mallepa.  He'd considered taking his wife and daughter and moving away from this place more than once before, but Yi-Che didn't want to be separated from her brother.  Despite the way Son had virtually abandoned them to side with Chan and the Taiwanese Mafia, he was still her brother and in the end, Sho couldn't bring himself to try and split them apart so completely.  His precious daughter didn't have many options for "honest" men, in a city that thrived on organized crime.

 

He was so preoccupied with his disturbed thoughts that he didn't sense Kei coming up behind him, until his breath caressed the side of his throat. 

 

"Don't withdraw," murmured Kei.  His hands reached out, and one of them stroked Sho's hair while the other rubbed his shoulder.  "This doesn't have to be a bad thing, Sho.  From everything we've learned about this guy, he isn't bad.  He could be a lot worse."

 

Sho nodded silently, unable to refute that.  He laid one hand over the one squeezing his shoulder and he turned his head to look his companion in the eye.  Kei had one of those subtly desperate looks on his face that always made it nearly impossible for Sho to refuse him anything.  He reached out to brush aside the long bangs that had half-fallen over the blond's left eye and he watched the sensitive lips curve into a self-depreciating little smile.

 

"I know," murmured Kei, "I need to get it trimmed.  I've never been good at styling it, the way you do with yours."

 

Sho shook his head, looking at the unruly style with a quietly admiring gaze.  "No, I like it.  This longer style suits you.  Just don't let it turn into a complete mop, okay?"

 

"I'll try not to."  Kei looked at him pensively.  "Are you going to give any further thought to my suggestion about Hana?"

 

Sho lowered his gaze.  "I…can't keep putting it off.  You'll still help me, right?  I don't want to scare her."

 

Kei nodded without hesitation.  "I can set up the meeting, whenever you're ready.  I'll sit down with her and explain it before you come in, but I honestly don't think you have to worry about her getting scared.  I think she already suspects you were the one to stop the purse-snatchers.  She didn't see your face, but the way she talked about it, she knows her benefactor was more than human.  I tried to play it off on shock, but I don't think she went for it."

 

Sho huffed a sigh.  "It's too late for that.  Like you said: Hana is too bright to be fooled for long.  I have to stop lying to my little girl, and I have to stop expecting you to do it for me, too.  Call her tomorrow and set up the meeting, whenever it's most convenient for her.  I know she won't ask for daylight hours, since she knows what you are."

 

"She won't," agreed Kei.  "Is there somewhere in particular you want me to set it up for, Sho?"

 

The taller man thought about it.  The answer was easy, and it came to him in a flash.  "The park," he murmured.  "At the painting.  I think it's fitting."

 

"I think so too.  I'll see when I can arrange it." 

 

Kei studied him unblinkingly, until it made Sho want to squirm.  "What?"

 

Kei ran his hands over Sho's chest and shoulders.  "I'm proud of you."

 

Sho looked away uncomfortably.  "There's nothing to be proud of.  I'm only agreeing to this because I'm trapped."

 

"You could take off again instead, if you really wanted to," answered the shorter vampire.  "You could tell me to shut the hell up and never mention it again.  Instead, you're willing to try, and I know how hard it's going to be for you.  That gives me a reason to be proud."

 

Sho sighed and put his arms around the other man, drawing him close.  He rubbed his back and laid his head on his shoulder, surrendering once again to the warm, encouraging comfort that was Kei. 

 

"If this blows up in our faces, I'm holding you responsible," Sho murmured.

 

Kei wasn't intimidated.  He stroked Sho's hair and shrugged.  "It's a risk I'm willing to take."

 

~*****************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**"Bound by blood"**

Chapter 3

A "Moon Child" fan fanfiction

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* * *

 

Author's note: My Japanese language skills leave much to be desired, but I have it on good authority that I'm using the correct terms for "father".  Please excuse my mistake if I'm wrong about that (makes a silent vow to take a Japanese language course, in the near future).

 

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* * *

 

Disclaimer: I do not own "Moon child" or any of the characters.  This is strictly a non-profit endeavor, written for entertainment purposes only.

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~**************************~

 

* * *

 

_The next evening, in the central park of Mallepa:_

She sat down on the blanket she'd spread out before the big painting, folding her legs beneath her.  The petal-soft material of her loose, long skirt pooled around her, covering her legs to the ankles with a black and purple pattern of lotus blossoms.  She brushed a drifting leaf off of her dark purple blouse and she looked around with nervous expectation.  Kei had told her he had something very important to discuss with her.  He said it was happy news, so she decided to make an evening picnic of it. 

 

Kei couldn't benefit from the fresh fruits she'd brought, and she wasn't sure if he could ever experience the warmth of a pleasant buzz after a couple of cups of good sake, but she knew he still appreciated these things.  She sensed that something big was coming with this meeting, and she mentally braced herself for it as she looked around for any sign of her "uncle".  

 

A sparse few people passed nearby, glancing at her curiously.  Hana wasn't worried.  People rarely started things in the well-lit areas of the park, and there were security patrols around the perimeter these days.  She also knew that Chan had people keeping an eye on her for her safety, though he'd denied it when she asked him about it.  Combined with Kei's silent protection, she knew she had nothing to fear from the dark.

 

Still, she checked her watch anxiously, unable to shake the feeling of premonition that warned her this particular meeting was going to bring changes to her life.

 

~*************************~

 

* * *

 

"Come on, Sho."  Kei stopped and looked at his companion worriedly.  Sho had stopped in his tracks, and he was staring at the girl waiting on the picnic blanket by the big painting.  "Don't back out now."

 

"I'm not," murmured the taller man, his aching blue gaze fixated on his daughter.  "I just…don't know how to approach her.  Don't want to scare her."

 

Kei bit his lip and looked at Hana.  "Sho, even if she does get a little startled by the sight of you, she'll be too happy to see you alive and well to care.  Trust me, and trust your daughter."

 

Sho swallowed and looked at the grass at his feet.  "You go first.  Explain to her, before I come.  Give me a signal when you think she's ready to see me."

 

Kei checked a sigh.  Put up against armed gangsters, the man barely broke a sweat.  Faced with the task of saying hello to his own daughter, he was like the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz. 

 

"Okay.  Just take some deep breaths and try to settle yourself.  It's going to be okay."

 

Sho nodded tensely, putting his hands into the pockets of his new white trench coat.  Taking his cue, Kei resumed walking toward the young woman, leaving his companion behind.  He gave her a gentle smile when she sensed his approach and looked up at him, and he squatted down before her on the picnic blanket. 

 

"This is nice," he complimented, gesturing at the bowl of fruit and the sake tray.  "A little extravagant for a meeting in the park, though."

 

Hana gave him a respectful nod and a smile.  "I know it's a little much…but I felt like…I sensed that you have something important to say, so I thought I should make it special.  Was I wrong?  I'm a little embarrassed."

 

Kei shook his head.  "Don't be.  This is lovely and yes, I _do_ have something important to say to you.  May I?"

 

She glanced as he gestured at one of the red apples in the wooden bowl, and she nodded.  As Kei took the treat and bit into it with appreciation, she poured him a cup of rice wine.  "Thank you," he said as he took the offering and washed his food down with it.  It was good, juicy fruit and the sake was just right.  It almost felt like a waste, but if it made Hana happy to offer it to him, he didn't care.

 

"This is about your father," Kei finally said, after agonizing over it for a moment.  "Your birth father."

 

Her eyes widened a bit.  "Oh.  You aren't here to tell me he's dead, are you?"

 

"No!  Absolutely not," assured Kei.  He reached out and patted her comfortingly on the shoulder.  "I'm sorry if I gave you that impression.  He's very much alive, Hana."

 

She relaxed, visibly relieved.  "Thank goodness."

 

Kei nodded at the bottle of sake.  "Maybe you should pour one of those for yourself.  I have some explaining to do, and what I'm about to tell you is going to be confusing and difficult to hear."

 

She glanced uncertainly at the bottle, before reaching for the empty wooden cup on the tray and taking his advice.  "Is he hurt?"

 

"No."  Kei waited for her to take a sip before continuing.  "Hana, I've been wanting to tell you for so long, but I made a promise to Sho that I wouldn't.  Years ago, when you were still a little girl and your mother was in the hospital, Sho asked me to take care of you if anything happened to him.  He was badly hurt in a gunfight, and he was dying.  I couldn't let that happen."

 

~***************************~

 

* * *

 

She nodded in understanding, her hear pounding with anticipation.  "You saved him?"

 

"That depends on who you ask," answered Kei with a sigh, looking up at the stars through the canopy of park trees.  "He didn't see it that way, when he woke up.  I made your father like me, Hana.  I need you to forgive me."

 

She felt her throat tighten, and she shook her head.  "There is nothing to forgive.  If it was the only way to save him, I’m glad you did it.  He wouldn't be alive, if it weren't for you."

 

Kei gave her a weak smile.  "I'm glad you feel that way.  He's always watched over you, and when he couldn't do it, I did it for him.  He never wanted to leave you, but he couldn't face what he'd become, and that's my fault."

 

She had banished her anger long ago, having come to accept that for whatever reason, her father gave her to the Narita family out of love, and she knew that.  She had never truly blamed him.  She just wished she could see him again.  She reached out hesitantly and she laid a hand over the vampire's clenched one, resting against his thigh.

 

"I know you both did what you thought was necessary, and I'm not mad.  Kei…that night when Sandra and I got attacked…was my father there?"

 

"Yes," he confessed, keeping his eyes lowered.  "He was the one that went after the robbers and got your handbags back.  He was hurt in the process, but it wasn't serious."

 

"I knew it."  She smiled.  "I _knew_ he was there!"

 

Kei smirked.  "He knew it too.  That's how I convinced him to come.  He's here, Hana.  It's time for you to reunite with him."

 

She looked around eagerly.  "Where?"  She got to her feet, forgetting about the food and the sake.  "Touchan?"

 

A man stepped out from behind the bole of one of the big oak trees, backlit by the park lights behind him.  His hair was long in the back, woven into braids that fell to just past his shoulders.  The rest was styled into a shaggy cut, leonine in its style.  He wore cream-colored dress pants and a blossom-print black shirt.  A white trench coat complimented the outfit, and a pair of brown shoes finished it off.  Even from the distance, she could recognize those ageless, noble features and Hana took a step toward him.

 

"Papa?"

 

The man approached, his steps hesitant and his expression unreadable.  "Hana."

 

She met him partway, hardly noticing the passing of a couple of night-time joggers.  She looked up at him, trying to read his face.  He seemed wary of her…as if afraid to even touch her.  Hana decided to make first contact and her vision blurred with tears as she cupped his beloved, much-missed face in her palms.

 

"I've missed you so much.  I don't care what you are.  You're my father and that's enough for me."

 

The impenetrable mask broke then, allowing the mortal feelings to show through the façade of indifference.  Sho's unusual blue eyes welled up with tears and he studied Hana's face as though memorizing each fine detail.  "Your eyes," he said huskily, "are just like your mother's.  I'm so sorry, Hana.  You deserved better."

 

She put her arms around him impulsively, crying herself.  "I know you didn't abandon me, Papa.  Don't be sad."

 

He returned her embrace hesitantly, and his powerful, preternatural body trembled against hers as he nuzzled her hair.  "I love you.  I'm so… _proud_ of the woman you've become."

 

She began to cry in earnest, then.  She kept one arm around his waist and she curled a hand against his chest, weeping into his shirt.  "I love you too.  I missed you so much."

 

He began to rock her gently, his deep voice offering gentle comfort.  "Shhh, I'm here now.  You're my girl and that isn't going to change."  

 

He began to sing to her in a low voice—an old lullaby he'd often sung when she was a child.  Hana closed her eyes and listened, comforted and soothed by her father's song.

 

~************************~

 

* * *

 

Kei watched the exchange and he felt his own eyes sting with tears.  Accompanying the feeling of pride for what he'd set out to do and achieved was the bittersweet sting of regret.  Yes, Sho wouldn't be alive today to hug his daughter as he was doing now, if it weren't for Kei turning him.  Still, he knew that his friend would have preferred to die, if given the option.  He forced a smile as Sho looked up to meet his eyes across the distance, and he mouthed a single, smug sentence.

 

"Told you so."

 

Sho gave him a less-than-friendly look in return.  "Showoff," he mouthed.

 

Kei blurted a chuckle before he could stop himself.

 

~*************************~

 

* * *

 

After hugging for countless moments, Sho and Hana returned to the picnic blanket to sit with Kei, and they caught up on things.

 

"You know he's in the Mafia," Sho murmured in regards to her fiancé, as he took the offered cup of sake from the girl.  "Don't you?"

 

Hana nodded.  "I know, Father.  Not many people _aren't_ , these days.  It's how we survive in Mallepa."

 

Sho sighed, swirling his drink a little before taking a sip of it.  "Yes, I know.  I brought you into this, Hana.  I wish I had taken you and your mother and moved far away."

 

"Don't," she objected, giving him a loving, aching little smile.  "This is my home.  It isn't perfect, but where _is_ , these days?  I have a loving family in you, Kei and my foster parents.  I have protection.  I have a good man to take as my husband—even if he has to resort to Mafia dealings as part of his career.  I have no regrets, Father."

 

Sho rewarded her with a tragically reserved little smile.  "So brave.  I'll see to it that you are always protected, Hana."

 

Kei nodded in agreement.  "We both will."

 

Hana smiled at the two of them, not the least bit put off by their vampiric natures.  "I'm just happy to be here with you both, after all this time."

 

~**************************~

 

* * *

 

"So," Kei said later that night, after he and Sho returned to the apartment, "you reunited with your daughter and nothing horrible happened.  How about some gratitude?"

 

"Thank you," allowed Sho grudgingly.  "Happy?"

 

Kei smiled sidelong at him.  "I'll take what I can get.  Do you want a drink?"  He started towards the kitchen, intending to pour a Vodka for himself and whatever Sho wanted, as well.

 

"Yeah, give me a tequila," answered the taller man.  He sat down on the red, plush couch and he turned the television on.  "And Kei?  Thank you.  I mean it, this time."

 

Kei paused and turned to look at him, meeting his eyes across the distance.  "You're welcome, Sho.  I only did what I thought was best for both of you."

 

Shoe's gaze went to the nightly news.  "I know."

 

Sensing that the other vampire wasn't comfortable discussing the situation in-depth, Kei went into the kitchen and procured the liquor bottles from a cabinet.  Inwardly, he wanted to tell his companion that he loved him, and that he couldn't take joy in anything that caused him pain.  However, he knew that Sho wouldn't respond well to such a declaration, this soon after the meeting with his daughter.  He settled for what he could get and he brought the drinks into the living room with him, taking a seat next to his companion. 

 

"Look at this shit," Sho remarked with a gesture at the screen, "You would think people would know better, by now."

 

Kei looked at the TV screen.  They were broadcasting a story about a guy that got shot to death on the west side, while trying to break into a family's home.  Kei shrugged.  "We aren't much better, Sho.  How many robberies have we committed since we've known each other?"

 

"Those were different," insisted Sho.  "A heist against a crime organization isn't the same as breaking into some innocent family's home.  At least the guy got what was coming to him."

 

Kei shrugged again, not refuting his point.  He started to take a drink, only to find himself distracted by the feel of Sho's lips against his ear.  The taller man had leaned in close and now he was apparently interested in fooling around.  Kei concealed a smirk and tried not to react to the nuzzle.  A shiver passed through him as Sho's teeth delicately tugged on the lobe of his ear, and he resisted the urge to squirm as the other man's hand settled on his knee.

 

"I've got to show my gratitude," murmured Sho between kisses.  "Hmm?"

 

"If you must," responded Kei in a teasing tone. 

 

It was impossible to remain completely indifferent.  Sho was sexy as all get out, and his body was already betraying the effect that his seductive actions were having on him.  The crotch of his jeans started to bulge tellingly and a low sound of desire hummed in his throat as Sho rubbed his thigh.  The man had lips that could turn anyone on—gay or straight—and he began to demonstrate that they were as talented as they were appealing.  He caressed the side of Kei's face as he kissed and nibbled his ear, throat and jaw.  Kei shut his eyes and tilted his head invitingly to the side, giving his lover greater access.  He gasped with surprise as he felt the brief sting of Sho's fangs puncture his neck, and then he moaned as he began to gently suck. 

 

"You bite too much," protested the blond huskily, his body singing with pleasure. 

 

Sho's hand cupped his swelling package, and those lips smiled against his throat.  He stopped sucking long enough to purr a question in his deep, seductive voice.  "Want me to stop?"

 

"No," answered Kei immediately, his breath quickening.  "God, don't stop, Sho."

 

The suckling continued as requested, and the hand began to massage his groin.  Kei bit his lip to hold back a moan, lifting his hips a little to press into Sho's touch.  God, he wanted him.  He wanted to have that tawny body lying supine beneath him, wanted to see the expression on those fine, handsome features as he entered him.

 

He of course completely forgot that when feeding, vampires sometimes caught flashes of imagery from the victim.  He was reminded of this fact when Sho paused again and clicked his tongue in admonishment.

 

"The things you think about, Kei."

 

Kei's eyes popped open and his cheeks flooded with color.  "I…I wasn't…I didn't mean to—"

 

Sho's mouth covered his on a kiss, muffling his embarrassed excuses.  He could taste his own blood on the other vampire's lips and he compliantly allowed Sho's probing tongue into his mouth, giving it dominion over his.  It stroked and curled sensually against his, while his hand steadily massaged his boner through the pants.  The little fang wounds on his neck were already closing, hastened by his vampiric healing.   

 

"It's only fair," murmured Sho after ravishing his mouth for a few moments.  "I've had you.  You should have me, too."

 

Kei couldn't remember the last time a sentence turned him on that much.  He kissed Sho again, finally letting his desire manifest in a more aggressive way.  The other man allowed him to dominate the kiss this time, and Kei hardly noticed when Sho took his forgotten drink from him and set it on the coffee table. 

 

~******************************~

 

* * *

 

A short while later, they were in the bedroom together, removing the last of their clothing.  Kei kissed his companion feverishly as he unzipped Sho's pants and helped him out of them. 

 

"You're sure about this?" asked the blond, retaining enough presence of mind to give him one last chance to back out.  He didn't want Sho to wake up in the evening with any regrets. 

 

"I'm sure," answered Sho.  "If you can do it, so can I."

 

Guessing he'd only offend him if he reassured him that he would be as gentle as possible, Kei resumed kissing him.  Sho stepped out of his pants and he balanced on one leg at a time as he pulled his socks off.  Once he had him completely nude, Kei gently pushed against his chest, urging him onto the bed.  Sho compliantly backed up and he lay down on the mattress, letting the slimmer man stretch out on top of him.  Their erections rubbed against one another as they kissed passionately, and Sho reached down to stroke them together.  He couldn't get his hand around the entire circumference, but his touch felt good and there was something so intimate about the way his swollen shaft pressed against Kei's. 

 

"I love you," gasped Kei against the velvety lips.  "I've always loved you, Sho."

 

Rather than accuse him of being overly dramatic, Sho responded with surprising gentleness.  "Love you too, Kei."

 

It was such a change to see him in a submissive light, Kei nearly stopped what he was doing to simply stare at him.  He was beginning to think that Sho had seduction down to an art, somehow sensing what would turn him on the most.  He always seemed to say or do just the right thing to get Kei's lust burning brighter.  A possessive thrill went through the blond as he took a page from Sho's book and bit him on the neck, drawing a gasp from him.  He felt the other man's cock pulse against his with arousal and he reached down to join Sho's stroking, his fingers brushing against his. 

 

He drank carefully from him, mindful not to drain too much.  The purpose of this was to give pleasure, not to feed.  The taste of him was something out of heaven for Kei, though.  Even as a vampire, Sho had a taste that was simply intoxicating.  He wondered if Sho felt the same about him when he fed on him.  Their gripping hands stroked faster, synchronizing effortlessly with each other. 

 

After a while, Kei gently disengaged from Sho's touch, not wanting to get over-excited and come before he was inside of him.  Subdued by the pleasure of his bite, Sho didn't voice any complaint or try to stop him.  He writhed beneath him as Kei continued to suckle, reaching for the lube on the nightstand as he did so.  He guided Sho's knees up and apart to expose him for his purposes, and he slicked his fingers up thoroughly before rubbing some of the lubricant over the tight ring of flesh he was about to penetrate. 

 

"Just relax as much as possible," instructed Kei against his companion's arching throat. 

 

Sho nodded, still in a swoon.  It occurred to Kei that feeding on him while he was doing this was probably going to save Sho some discomfort.  He couldn't help but relax as the pheromones in Kei's saliva reacted with his bloodstream, putting him in a state of euphoria.  He instinctively clenched a little in reaction to the initial penetration when Kei eased a finger in, but he relaxed again quickly.  Reminding himself that this would be Sho's first time to do this, Kei reigned in his lust and took his time.  He wanted this experience to be every bit as good for Sho as he knew it would be for him.  It was important for it to be pleasurable enough for Sho to want to do it again, sometime.  Though Kei usually preferred to bottom, getting to top now and then would be a delight.

 

He kept gently suckling as he worked to prepare Sho for him, pumping his finger slowly until the virgin passage began to loosen.  He eased a second finger in when he thought he was ready for it, and he took heart in the tone of Sho's voice when he moaned in pleasure.  He decided it was time to stimulate the little gland inside of him and he smiled against his neck as Sho's breath caught.  The powerful body trembled in reaction to the sensation as Kei massaged the spot inside of him.  The heavy cock twitched against his thigh, hinting that it wouldn't take much more to make it spill its seed. 

 

"Kei," groaned Sho helplessly, stroking his back unconsciously. 

 

"I think you're ready for me," announced Kei, pleased.  He stopped suckling him and he looked down at him, admiring the way the light sheen of perspiration made his skin seem to sparkle.  "We'll take it nice and slow, okay?  I don't want to cause you any pain."

 

Sho nodded and swallowed, finally revealing a hint of anxiety.  His pupils were still dilated with the effects of the bite, and it would take a little while to wear off.  Kei thought it was best to enter him while he was still dazed from the swoon.  He guided Sho's bent legs further back and he knelt between his spread thighs.  He took a moment to run a hand over the tight muscles of Sho's chest and abdomen, admiring his body.  He gripped his erection and positioned himself with his free hand, and when he pressed against the lube-slick entrance, he fondled Sho's erection to distract him. 

 

"Oh, God," gasped Kei, as soon as he breached him.  Tight…so tight…and yet, he fit like a glove.  Sho stared up at him with parted lips and an expression of wonder on his face, and Kei wished he were in a position that would allow him to kiss that mouth.  He made due with caressing the plush, parted lips with his fingertips and he clenched his teeth when Sho drew them into his mouth and sucked on them. 

 

"Too fucking hot for you own good," panted Kei, feeling unusually aggressive.  He closed his eyes and ran the tip of his tongue over his lips to moisten them, and he heard Sho make a growling sound.  He opened his eyes again to see his companion staring at him with hot lust in his blue eyes, and it dawned on him that he must enjoy the sight of him licking his lips. 

 

"You're mine," murmured Kei, finally feeling like he could say it without sounding like a complete idiot. 

 

He began to move, slowly at first.  Sho's breath shivered and his tongue swirled around the pads of the fingers he was sucking on.  Kei made a blind grab for the sanitary wipes he'd put on the nightstand next to the lube and he wiped off his other hand—the one he'd prepared Sho with.  He gazed down at his companion as he fucked him, unable to stop staring.  Technically, doggy-style might have been the better position to start with, but he wanted to see Sho's face as he took him.  He was glad he'd chosen this "missionary" style for their first time.  If the look on that handsome face was any indication, Sho appreciated it just as much. 

 

Kei experimented with his thrusts, edging in at different angles until he discovered one that seemed to stroke Sho's prostate just right and give him the most pleasure.  The wide-eyed look of confused pleasure was testament enough, and Kei kept going.  He stroked the length of Sho's erection as he pumped, and he tweaked his nipples one at a time, making them tighten into hard nubs. 

 

He felt Sho move gingerly beneath him, and he nodded encouragingly.  "That's it," he panted, "just go with it.  Do what your body is telling you to do, Sho."

 

Though his folded position restricted how much he could move, Sho began to undulate beneath his thrusting lover, moaning with pleasure as each push of Kei's dick brought new sensations with it.  He reached up, trying to touch him, but unable to quite make it.  Kei removed his fingers from Sho's mouth and he caught his hand, squeezing it.  He put more force and speed into his thrusts and he reveled in the way Sho's eyes rolled with pleasure and fluttered shut. 

 

"You're close," observed Kei breathlessly as the thick length in his hand started to tighten in a telling way.  Sho began to pant, and the blond realized he was deliberately trying not to come.  He found that slightly amusing, guessing it was just a habit of his to try and extend the moment.  Sho was used to being the one to perform, after all.

 

"It's okay," soothed Kei, squeezing his hand again.  "Sho, don't hold back.  You can come."

 

Sho swallowed, his breath trembling with his efforts.  He tossed his head, still obviously resisting the climax that was pushing its way to the surface.

 

"Come for me," urged Kei, feeling his own peak approaching fast.  "Let go."

 

"Ahhh…shit," groaned Sho at last, bucking beneath him.  He twitched hard in Kei's gripping hand and he spurted in rapid, uneven bursts.  Most of it got on his stomach, but a little landed on his chest. 

 

The sight of him like that, at the mercy of his orgasm and openly vulnerable, made Kei so hot, he quickly followed him into orgasm.  The spastic clenching of Sho's ass helped it along and soon, Kei was pulsing inside of him.  He pushed deep inside of him and held it there, groaning his name as he filled him.  Shuddering with the pleasure of it, Kei waited until every last throb was finished and he looked down at his companion with love in his eyes. 

 

"You were," Kei breathed sincerely, "amazing."

 

"All I did…was lay here," gasped Sho with unusual modesty.  "You did all…the work."

 

"But you made it go…so much smoother…than it could have," insisted Kei.  He released Sho's softening cock to caress his face.  "Did I make it good for you?"

 

"I could be mean and say 'no'," teased the other vampire candidly, "but then I'd…be lying.  You made me see sparks."

 

Kei chuckled, still winded.  "Good, then I guess you won't mind doing that again, sometime."

 

"Fair is fair," agreed Sho with a little wink.

 

~****************************~

 

* * *

 

The next day, Hana got a surprise visit from her fiancé at her studio.  Her smile of greeting died on her lips at the grim expression on Hanyu's face, as he came to her side.  "Hanyu-san, is something the matter?"

 

He looked at her, and then he looked at the painting she had been touching up for completion.  "Who is he?"

 

Hana looked at the painting of Sho, taken off-guard by the abrupt question.  "He's…"

 

"What is he to you?"

 

She stared at him.  "Pardon?"

 

"My guys saw you hugging him in the park last night.  I thought they must be mistaken, but then I come here to find you painting his portrait.  Who is this man, Hana?"

 

"You…think I'm cheating on you?"  The notion seemed so ridiculous to her, but in realizing that he didn't know Sho was her father, she could understand why he'd gotten that impression.  She shook her head.  "Hanyu, let me explain."

 

"I would appreciate that."

 

"Hana?" Sandra called out from across the room.  "Is everything all right?"  The look she gave Chan left little doubt that she was prepared to call the police, if he was bothering her.

 

"Everything is fine," assured Hana, horrified by the thought of this simple misunderstanding turning into an ugly conflict.  She took her fiancé by the hand and gave him a softly pleading look.  "Please, come with me to the lobby, where we can speak in private."

 

His hard expression softened, and he allowed her to lead him away.  When they were in the lobby, she took a seat on one of the couches and she urged him to sit beside her.  She placed her hands into her lap and sighed, wondering how she could explain the details without mentioning what her father was. 

 

"That man your people saw me hugging was my father," she said at last, deciding the bare facts would be enough.  "My birth father, that is."

 

Hanyu frowned.  "Sho?  They told me he was dead…killed in a fight against Son when he went after my uncle."

 

"He didn't die," she explained.  "But he left, after that.  He found a foster family for me and he went far away.  He just recently returned, and my Uncle Kei arranged for our reunion."

 

Familiar with the blond man who never seemed to age, Hanyu relaxed.  "What does he want in Mallepa?  Is he getting back into the business?"

 

"I don't know," she answered truthfully.  "Maybe he's already in it, or maybe he's found another way to earn money.  I'm just glad to have my father back."

 

"Do your foster parents know?"

 

She shook her head.  "I haven't told them, yet.  I don't want them to feel threatened.  He isn't trying to take me away, he just wanted to see me again."

 

He looked down at her hands and he took them in his.  "I was…afraid," he confessed.  "Afraid of losing you.  I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions.  You're too good of a woman, to do what I accused you of.  I should have known better."

 

She returned the pressure of his hands and smiled in understanding.  "It's okay.  I understand how it must have looked, for anyone that didn't know who he was."

 

"You must have good genetics in your family," sighed Hanyu.  "That guy doesn't look any older than we are, but he's got to be in his forties."

 

Hana smiled, tempted to tell him the truth but knowing he'd never believe her.  "He…just ages well."

 

"Does he know about us?"  Hanyu turned the ring on her finger meaningfully.

 

"Yes, I told him.  He's supportive."

 

"But I'm betting he doesn't approve," guessed Hanyu.  "Not after being in the business himself and knowing what it entails."

 

She shrugged.  "He knows it's my choice, and he accepts it.  That's all I care about."

 

Hanyu glanced around to be sure they were alone, before leaning in to give her a quick, soft kiss on the mouth.  "As long as he doesn't try to get in the way, I don't care."

 

~************************************~

 

* * *

 

Hanyu left the studio after that, and he called up one of his associates.  "Yang, it's me.  I have the identity of the man seen with my fiancé in the park.  It's Sho.  No, not that one…the one who used to be my uncle's rival.  Yes, he's still alive.  I want him watched, if possible.  He may cause trouble to our organization.  No, he isn't likely to tell Hana what his plans are.  He wouldn't want her involved.  Forget about that idea."

 

Hanyu listened to the other man for a moment, before looking around and hailing a taxi.  "Yes, he _did_ cause a stir, back in the day.  That's why we can't let our guard down.  Find out if anyone we associate with has been having dealings with Sho.  I'll talk to you later."

 

Satisfied that Yang would procure the information he was after, Hanyu ended the call and got into the cab as it pulled up to the curb.  "Take me to the theater," he instructed the cab driver, upon taking a seat and buckling up.  Seeing a movie might clear his head.  He had to think carefully about how he was going to handle this situation. 

 

~**********************************~

 

* * *

 

_Later that evening, on the other side of town:_

Sho stepped through the doors of the restaurant, looking around with an unreadable expression.  The blue of his eyes were hidden behind the round shades he wore, and when the hostess approached him, she addressed him in a nervously polite tone.

 

"Sir, would you mind taking off your glasses before I seat you, or are they prescription?"

 

Sho lifted the shades and propped them on the crown of his head.  "I have business with the owner.  Can you seat me in a corner booth, out of the way?"

 

"Of course," she agreed, staring at him with a hint of surprise in her dark eyes.

 

Used to getting that kind of reaction when people saw the shade of his eyes, Sho silently followed her as she bade him.  He looked around at the familiar surroundings, and the sting of bittersweet memories pained him.  This place once belonged to his brother.  Sho had bought it for him when he had the money to do so, looking at the restaurant as an investment that would keep Shinji too busy to fall back into his drug habits.  For a time, the ploy had worked…until Sho's men got gunned down in broad daylight and Shinji held him responsible for it.

 

"Sir, will this do?"

 

Sho dragged his memories out of the past and looked at the corner booth.  He nodded in satisfaction and sat down.  "I'll have a Bloody Mary."

 

"Right away, Sir," said the hostess.  "I'll tell Mr. Kwan that you're here.  May I have a name?"

 

"Sho."

 

She nodded and went to tell a waitress to get his drink for him.  Sho started to reach for his pack of cigarettes, but there was no ashtray on the table and he noticed that none of the other customers were smoking.  He spotted the "no smoking" sign by the door and he sighed.  These days, smoking in public was practically a crime.  You couldn't even smoke in lounges or nightclubs, anymore.  Maybe he should consider quitting, like Kei did.  True, the blond bummed a smoke or two off of him on occasion, but Kei was no longer in the habit of smoking regularly.

 

"Hello, Mr. Sho," greeted a man's voice, distracting the vampire from his tobacco angst.  Sho looked up as the Malaysian approached, and he took his offered hand to shake it.  "This is unusual.  What brings you here to my restaurant?  If you like, I'll have a menu brought to you and you can choose whatever you want, free of charge."

 

"I'm only here to collect the money," answered Sho coolly.  "And to go over the monthly figures with you.  Why have you banned smoking from this place?  I don't remember ever being consulted about that."

 

"It's city ordinance, sir," explained Kwan uncomfortably.  "I don't make the rules, I just follow them.  If we don't comply with the smoking restrictions, they'll fine us and shut the restaurant down.  They've gotten really strict about that."

 

Sho sighed again.  Fucking tobacco Nazis.  "Go and get your records, so we can finish this.  I have other places to go, after this."

 

"Of course," agreed the older man.  He got up and gave Sho a little bow of respect.  "Right away, Mr. Sho."

 

Sho watched him leave and he noticed one of the other restaurant patrons eyeing him curiously.  Sho stared him down until he looked away.  He guessed he was trying to decide if he'd seen him before.  He'd been getting more and more of those looks of vague recognition since becoming active in Mallepa again.  His past endeavors were practically legendary in this city by now, and people who figured out who he was tended to express shock and confusion.  A cute little Japanese waitress with expressive eyes and a shy smile approached with his drink, and Sho relaxed his face a little.

 

"Here you are, sir," she informed him, setting down a napkin before placing his drink on top of it.  "One Bloody Mary.  Can I get you anything else?  A menu, perhaps?"

 

"No, thank you," he murmured.  "I'm not hungry." 

 

His gaze slid to her neck, and he silently revised that statement as his teeth tingled warningly.  He wasn't hungry for mortal food, but the thought of sinking his teeth into the tender flesh of his neck was giving him a "fanger"; his slang term for when his fangs elongated against his will.  He hastily looked down and he sucked on the straw sticking out of his drink, tasting the cocktail experimentally.  He nodded in approval, finding it just spicy enough to suit him.

 

"Let me know if I can get anything else for you," said the waitress with a bow.

 

Sho nodded.

 

 _~You can get out of my sight, before I jump you and fang rape you in front of everyone._ ~

 

He wouldn't have done it, of course.  Though it wasn't uncommon for him to lose control when feeding on his prey and take it too far, he had never attacked an innocent…and that was precisely what this young woman was.  Working through college, trying to make a better life for herself and get the hell out of Mallepa…Sho would sooner die than lay a tooth on her, regardless of how tempting it was. 

 

The girl left and Sho took another drink of his cocktail.  He felt his phone go off in his pocket, and he withdrew it to find he had a text message from his lover.

 

_"Finished at music shop.  Good monthly profit.  Are we hunting tonight?"_

Sho ran his tongue over his teeth and nodded.  He wasn't as adept at texting as Kei, but he managed to get by.  _"Yes.  Meet me at the restaurant.  We hunt when I finish here."_

_"Good.  I'm starving!"_

Sho smirked in spite of himself as he responded.  _"Glutton."_

Kwan returned with the folder of monthly statements, and Sho put his phone down to go over them with him.  Business looked to be a little slow this month, but the profit margin was still up.  Feeling unusually generous thanks to the prospect of hunting cheering him up, Sho didn't take his full percentage.  He advised Kwan to use the extra money to replace the cooking utensils in the kitchen, as he'd been wanting to do for some time, now.  He had one more cocktail before the meeting ended, and Kei showed up shortly after Kwan left the table.  The blond spotted him and he said something to the hostess and pointed Sho's way.  She nodded and gestured invitingly, and Kei crossed the room to sit with Sho.

 

"Bloody Mary?" guessed the blond. 

 

"Mm," agreed Sho.  He offered the drink to him.  "Try it, the bartender mixed it just right."

 

Kei took the offer and had a sip.  He nodded.  "Good.  It's not _your_ usual fair, though.  Vodka is my poison."

 

Sho shrugged.  "I guess I just had you on my mind.  You can stop smirking, now."

 

"I wasn't smirking," protested Kei.  "Much."

 

Sho chuckled softly.  "I know you're loving it."

 

A booted foot brushed against his leg from under the booth.  "Knowing you think about me when we're apart?  I could love it, just a little."

 

Sho felt the danger of his groin acting the way his fangs had earlier, and he tried not to think about the way Kei had looked the evening before, staring down at him with bliss on his comely face as he had him.  He was just so fuckably pretty, even when he was the one topping.  As if compelled to turn him on as quickly as possible, Kei took another sip of the cocktail and he swiped his tongue over his lips in appreciation. 

 

"Mmm," murmured the blond.

 

"You want one?"  Sho stared at his mouth, fascinated.  He started to picture gross things, in an effort to control his body and avoid getting a huge boner. 

 

Kei shook his head.  "I'm too hungry to sit through a whole drink, right now.  Maybe we can come back when we finish?"

 

"How do you stay so skinny, eating the way you do?" teased Sho.  He finished off the drink and stood up.  "Come on, let's feed that bottomless pit you call a stomach."

 

~********************************~

 

* * *

 

_Late the next morning:_

 

"Police have found the bodies of two men presumed to be in their thirties.  They were found in the sewers by city plumbers while they were laying pipework.  Neither of the bodies had identification on them and the reported cause of death is thought to be from a loss of blood.  Police are baffled, because there were no visible injuries or bruising, yet their was very little blood left in the bodies.  They suspect foul play and it's speculated that the local Mafia might be involved."

 

Sho sat beside Kei on the couch, watching the ominous broadcast of the morning news.  Both vampires had stayed up extra late, having sex and fooling around until before they knew it, ten o'clock came around and they decided to watch the morning news together.

 

"Shit," muttered Sho with a sigh, dragging his fingers through his bed-mussed hair. 

 

"They don't have anything," said Kei.  He squeezed his companion's robe-covered knee soothingly.  "We healed the marks when we finished.  There's nothing to link this to us."

 

"Yeah, but we should have been more careful when we dumped them," answered Sho.  "Life might be cheap in this city, but too many 'mystery deaths' like that will raise questions."

 

"Then we have to try harder not to kill our victims," insisted Kei, "and failing that, we should shoot them or something, to make the cause of death less mysterious."

 

Sho snorted.  "So you want to shoot our victims after we feed on them?"

 

"It would be better than shooting them _before_ we feed on them," pointed out the blond.  "They'd bleed out on us before we could drink our fill, otherwise."

 

Sho chuckled dryly.  "Good point."  He sobered and looked at him pensively, knowing when Kei was trying to bury his emotions.  "Are you okay?"

 

Kei shrugged.  "You know.  The usual.  I regret letting myself go like that and killing him."

 

"Yeah, I know."  Sho put an arm around him and nuzzled his cheek.  "I hate the way you torture yourself when that happens, but I guess if you didn't, you wouldn't be Kei."

 

The blond nodded in agreement, smiling a little.  "Thanks.  I think we should go to bed, now.  We have a long night ahead of us and we'll need our rest."

 

"I agree."  Sho got up and offered a hand to his companion.  Kei took it and together, they went into the bedroom to try and sleep through the rest of the day.  They had another job to do that night—hopefully one that wouldn't require gunfire and bloodshed.  It was one of Chan's associates and despite the bad blood between himself and that family, Sho didn't want to wage war against them.  Hana's engagement to Hanyu changed the dynamics between them, and Sho didn't want his future son-in-law as an enemy, for her sake.

 

~********************************~

 

* * *

 

-To be continued


	4. Chapter 4

**"Bound by blood"**

Chapter 4

A "Moon Child" fan fanfiction

~***********************~

* * *

 

**_Author's note: I can't find the name of the detective character in the movie (it seems he was never actually given one), so for now, I've had to make one up for him.  If anyone happens to know his official name and would be so kind as to share it, I will revise it.  Also, I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. Consider this a foreshadowing of upcoming events, if you will._ **

****

**_Disclaimer: I do not own "Moon child" or any of the characters.  This is strictly a non-profit endeavor, written for entertainment purposes only._ **

****

~**************************~

* * *

 

Yang and his men waited in one of the smaller parks on the east side, expecting Sho and his companions to arrive at any moment.  They had agreed to meet at this place because it was neutral territory.  Until trust could be established, nobody was taking chances.

 

"Be careful with these guys," advised Yang to his people.  "They wiped out some of Xu's people last week."

 

"Then why are we dealing with them?" asked a man with a British accent.

 

"Because my associate has asked us to," answered the boss, "he wants to get a feel of them, to see what they're all about.  Since he has a conflict of interests in this matter, he's asked me to do it in his stead, and I agreed."

 

"What happened with the Xu clan?" asked one of the Chinese men. 

 

"According to their boss, they met up with these guys to cut a deal for some imports and they opened fire on them, before they could get a chance to defend themselves.  They took the merchandise and threatened to go after Xu if he retaliated."

 

"Sounds pretty fucking crazy, to me," muttered the British guy.  "Everyone knows the Xu family is ruthless.  These guys either have huge balls or more connections than we realize."

 

"That's why we're here," insisted Yang.  "We need to find out which it is."

 

"And what will we do once we have that information?" asked one of them. 

 

"That depends."  Yang shrugged.  "These men could make powerful allies or enemies, depending how this goes.  Stay sharp and make sure the snipers are ready to act.  Since we have no merchandise with us, we stand less of a chance of running into the same conflict as the Xu's, but we can't let our guard down."

 

"Right, boss."

 

"I think I see them," one of them said, gesturing at the parking area.  A little white convertible had pulled up and two men got out.  "Don't tell me they came alone."

 

Seeing the two young Japanese men they would be dealing with, the British gangster snorted.  "I think the Xu's exaggerated.  They look like a pair of rock stars, not crime lords."

 

"Don't underestimate them," warned Yang.  He looked around with a frown.  He'd had his people search the perimeter for any sign of hidden threats, so he knew the two men didn't have snipers of their own lurking somewhere.  Maybe Xu _had_ exaggerated; or maybe the exchange didn't go down the way he said it did at all.  The man was known to lie when it suited him.

 

Sho and his companion stopped before the group, both their faces a mask of detachment.  They were very attractive young men, fresh-faced and lacking the hard look of cold-blooded killers.  As Walker observed earlier, they had the look of rock stars.  The taller one whom Yang presumed to be Sho wore black leather pants, studded leather boots and a black crew shirt.  His smaller companion had on a pair of loose jeans and a sleeveless black shirt with a Black Sabbath logo on it.  It was easy to imagine both of them singing to a crowd of screaming fans.

 

"Mr. Yang?" Sho asked in a deep, resonant voice.

 

Yang stepped forward and bowed.  "Mr. Sho.  I expected you to come with more men,"

 

Sho glanced at his blond companion.  "This is the only man I need at my side."

 

Yang thought he detected a deeper meaning to those words, and he wondered if these two were more than friends and business partners.  "I should warn you that we have hidden snipers ready and willing to shoot, if anything goes wrong."

 

"We're aware of that," answered Sho coolly.  "But thank you for being honest enough to admit it."

 

Yang had to admit there was something unsettling about his utter calm and his unusual blue eyes.  Both of them had a strange feel about them, but Sho gave off more openly predatory vibes than his quiet blond companion. 

 

"Let's discuss business, then," offered Yang, trying to brush off the eerie feeling he was getting.  "The shipments are expected to begin coming in next week.  Anyone who invests in it stands to gain considerable profit when the imports begin hitting the shelves.  I assume you know this is a fine sake from Okinawa?"

 

Sho nodded.  "Highly sought after, here in Mallepa.  It's only fair that some Japanese profit from a Japanese import, don't you think?"

 

"Fair enough," agreed Yang.  "Then let's discuss percentages.  If you invest in keeping this trade route open, we can offer five percent of profits."

 

Sho looked at his companion, who shook his head and finally spoke up.  "Five isn't enough, for the investment you're asking.  Fifteen is more reasonable."

 

"I can't go that high," said Yang, and he gave a warning look to his men when one of them snorted.  "I could raise it to eight."

 

"Twelve," insisted the blond.

 

Yang hesitated, and Sho finally displayed a hint of emotion as he rolled his eyes.  "We all know where this is going.  Raise it to ten and you have a deal, Mr. Yang."

 

Yang could have quibbled more over the arrangement, but he'd been authorized to go up to ten percent, in anticipation of this.  He nodded and stuck his hand out.  "I believe we can agree to that, Mr. Sho."

 

Sho took his hand in a firm grip and shook it.  "I'll have my people arrange the money exchange through banking, once we've drawn up the contract and all parties have signed it."

 

Yang nodded.  "Agreed.  I'll have the paperwork ready for you by tomorrow evening."

 

"Then I guess we're done here."  Sho released his hand and stepped back, nodding at his partner.  "Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Yang."

 

Yang watched as they started to walk back to the car, and his curiosity got the better of him.  "Mr. Sho, please wait a moment."

 

Both young men stopped and turned to look at him with glittering eyes.  That feeling of being prey returned to Yang, and he suppressed a shiver and approached them.  "I need to know if what my associate said was the truth.  Did you ambush members of the Xu clan and gun them down during a business exchange?"

 

The two men looked at one another, and the blond wore an offended expression.  Sho's remained locked in its impassive mask.  "It was the other way around," answered Sho.

 

" _They_ opened fire on _us_ ," agreed the blond.  "They brought an empty crate and they tried to kill us and take the money we were prepared to pay for the merchandise."

 

"You should watch yourself when dealing with Xu and his family," advised Sho.  "He's a liar.  He thought we'd be easy marks since we're Japanese and we've been officially out of rotation up until now.  That mistake cost him."

 

"I see." 

 

It was their word against Xu's, though.  As a fellow Chinaman, Yang was instinctively inclined to believe Xu's word over Sho's, and he'd been doing business with the Xu clan for a few years, now.  Still, he'd caught Xu in a lie more than once before and these Japs hadn't shown any aggression here tonight.  Whether that was because they were outnumbered or because they were telling the truth, he couldn't say.

 

"Do you have any other questions?" pressed Sho.  "My companion and I have other places to be."

 

"No, that will do," answered Yang politely.  "Good evening, gentlemen."

 

~*********************************~

* * *

 

Hanyu got the call from his associate while he was in the middle of a business meeting, but he considered the call more important.

 

"Excuse me, gentlemen," he said to the zoning board members.  "I have to take this call." 

 

He left the room and stepped out into the hallway before answering the call.  "How did it go, Yang?"

 

"Surprisingly smooth," answered the older man.  "We settled on an agreement of ten percent, and I'm having the contract drawn up now.  Of course, we had nothing on us for them to steal, so whether they can be trusted not to be aggressive in future dealings is still up for debate."

 

"Did you mention the incident with the Xu family?"

 

"Yes I did, and Sho claimed that they drew on him and his partner first.  According to them, it was self-defense, and there were no watches present to steal."

 

"Hmm.  Did you believe them?"

 

"I'm not certain, to be honest.  Dishonesty isn't beneath Xu when he stands to turn a profit, and there is a possibility that he did as they claim and betrayed their trust.  You know his feelings about Japanese immigrants."

 

"Yes, we're all aware of his prejudice," agreed Chan.  "So, someone is lying about what happened in that exchange.  I wonder who."

 

"It's difficult to say, at this point.  Perhaps after doing business with Mr. Sho for a while, we'll have a better idea of where he stands.  From what I remember of him before he left Mallepa years ago, he had a wild reputation."

 

Yang paused for a moment.  "Odd…it didn't occur to me before, but he seems much younger than he should be."

 

"I've noticed that too," answered Chan.  "Maybe he's had some work done."

 

"There was something strange about him and his companion," answered the older man.

 

"Strange?  In what way?"

 

"It's hard to explain," admitted Yang.  "Just something in their mannerisms that bothered me.  They made me…uneasy."

 

"I think you allowed the story we got from Xu to get to you," reasoned Chan.  "You probably reacted that way to them because you were so wary…and rightfully so."

 

"Perhaps," agreed Yang reluctantly.  "Even so, I think we should continue to be wary of them in future dealings."

 

Hanyu checked his watch.  "Agreed.  For now, I need to get back to my meeting.  Good work, Yang.  You've got your foot in the door with this man and I think that will help us, in the long run."

 

~******************************~

* * *

 

"You don't really care about the Japanese rice wine, do you?"

 

Sho glanced sidelong at his companion, keeping most of his attention on the road.  "Of course not.  You know why I made this arrangement."

 

They hadn't discussed it at length, but Kei was so attuned to his partner that certain things didn't need explaining.  Sho might be more difficult to read now than ever before, but some things remained constant—and his love for his daughter was one of them.

 

"Chan may never deal directly with us, you know," warned Kei, "not if he knows who you are."

 

"As long as I have some way of keeping an eye on what his organization is doing, I'm fine with that.  If he keeps his business out of the sewers, there won't be a problem."

 

Kei could have reminded him that even "clean" Mafia runs were fraught with illegal activity and violence, but Sho already knew that.  He was just trying to ensure that his daughter didn't get stuck with the seediest of gangsters for the rest of her life.  Thinking of the things which usually followed marriage, Kei couldn't resist taking a dig.

 

"Hey Sho…you could be a grandparent by this time next year."

 

The car abruptly swerved to the shoulder of the road and Sho braked, hard enough to make the tires squeal.  Kei wasn't prepared for it and his seatbelt was the only thing that kept him from hitting his head on the dash.  He stared accusingly at his companion, bracing his hands on the dash.

 

"Warn me, the next time you're going to do something like that!"

 

Sho stared blankly back at him.  "Take that back."

 

"What, biology?  I'm sorry if it bothers you, but Hana is probably going to have kids with this man.  It isn't like you're going to get old and wrinkly, Sho."

 

The taller man stared at the beads hanging from his rearview mirror.  "It's just…I'm not ready to see my little girl pregnant.  I've missed so much of her life…I still see her as a child."

 

Kei sighed.  "I know, but time passed while you were away and I keep reminding you she's a woman, now.  Just think of it this way: when she has her first child, you can be right there at her side for it, supporting her.  You can see your brand new grandson or granddaughter as soon as it's born.  That doesn't sound good to you?"

 

"Sounds scary," confessed Sho, "and what if she goes into labor during the daytime?  I can see the headlines right now: _'Man bursts into flame on hospital steps.  Police are baffled.'_   Does that sound like a great plan to you?"

 

Kei chuckled helplessly.  "If you fixed the top to this car so that it will go up again, you could easily drive there and make it inside before the sun kills you.  I've gone outdoors in daylight.  You just need to be covered up."

 

"That's fine, but what will hospital staff think when they see me charging at them, with smoke rising from my body?"

 

"They'll probably think they've got a burn victim on their hands to take care of," remarked Kei dryly.  "Does it matter right now?  She isn't even married yet, so maybe we shouldn't be worrying over this, just yet.  When the time comes, we'll think of something."

 

"You're the one who brought it up," reminded Sho.

 

Kei shrugged.  "I just wondered how you would react to the possibility.  Every once in a while, I like to prod the human reactions to the surface, to make sure they're still in there."

 

"Well, congratulations," muttered Sho.  "You've got me scared shitless, now."

 

"It's just life, Sho.  There's nothing to do except live it."  Kei put a hand on the other man's leather-clad knee and rubbed it.  "I think we're both getting better at that."

 

"Only because I have someone besides myself to think about," answered Sho, a hint of bitterness creeping into his tone.

 

Kei lowered his gaze and sighed.  Sho's resistance to finding some joy in life was a constant worry to him, but he was determined to change that. 

 

"Why don't you pull off on the side street up ahead?" suggested Kei.  "There's a bridge we can park under."

 

Sho frowned at him.  "Why do you want to park under a bridge?"

 

Kei's answer was to unzip Sho's fly and gaze at him seductively.  "Because we could get arrested for public indecency, if we're seen doing this out in the open.  Park the car under the bridge, Sho."

 

"We could…go back to the apartment for that," suggested Sho a little breathlessly, reacting quickly to Kei's determined, skilled touch. 

 

"I don't feel like waiting."  Kei leaned in to kiss his neck. 

 

Sho put the car into gear and pulled back onto the road, falling prey to his hormones and Kei's seductive skills.  "I'm surprised at you," he murmured huskily as he approached the street and turned down it.  He looked down with surprise as Kei lowered his head, leaving no doubt of what he intended to do.  "Careful, you'll make me crash!"

 

Kei had mercy on him, waiting until the convertible pulled up under the concealment of the train bridge before resuming.  Sho gripped the steering wheel and shut his eyes, murmuring low encouragement to the blond as he pleasured him.  At least there was one way to bring some joy into Sho's life, and Kei was very, very good at it.

 

~*****************************~

* * *

 

Early the next morning, Sho was just drifting off to sleep when he was roused by Kei's playing—both literally and figuratively.  He murmured drowsily as his companion's hand started to fondle him, and he looked down at the blond head resting on his chest.

 

"You're a nympho."  It wasn't a sincere complaint, and he didn't try to stop him.

 

Kei tilted his head to look at him, and his brown eyes were warm with feeling.  "I just want to remind you of the pleasures life can offer."

 

"You've been 'reminding me' constantly, since we left the meeting last night."  Sho stroked his hair.  "What's going on?  I love the attention, but you'll drain me dry, at this rate."

 

He wasn't entirely kidding.  They'd had to change the bedding because Kei's passion didn't allow time to take any measures to protect it from "splash damage", as Sho colorfully referred to it.  They'd done it in the kitchen, in the living room and even in the bathroom, taking turns with their roles until Sho was both spent and sore.  Now Kei was trying to wake the beast again, and it was working in his favor.

 

Kei paused, biting his lip in that way of his that told Sho he was troubled.  Sho kept stroking his hair and he waited patiently, giving him time to gather whatever restless thoughts he needed to express.

 

"I know you don't want to be here," murmured the blond.  His breath tickled Sho's stomach as he lowered his head.  "You were more resolved than I was to burn, and I wish I had never suggested it.  Now, every time you remind me that you're only here for Hana and me, I can't shake the feeling that you're just counting the days until you can kill yourself.  I watched the same thing happen to Luka, and I can't bear it."

 

His words made Sho feel selfish.  He knew he was worried about his attitude, but he hadn't realized _how_ worried, until now.  "Hey, I won't forget our promise."

 

"But you still expect to greet the sun, someday," countered the blond.  He raised his head off Sho's abdomen and searched his eyes.  "You long for death, even if you keep your promise not to seek it out.  I feel like I’m forcing you to live, so I want to make every minute worth it to you."

 

"You have," murmured Sho.  "And not just by fucking my brains out every chance you get.  Kei, part of me might always look for death; I think that's just part of my nature.  It was the same when I was human, remember?"

 

"Yes," sighed Kei.  "Reckless.  If it were possible for vampires to have heart attacks, I think you would have driven me to have one more than once over the years."

 

Sho smirked.  "You always looked so bored when we got into firefights, though."

 

"Trust me, on the inside I wasn't so calm.  I knew you'd pick on me if I got too protective of you, though."

 

"Yeah, I would have."  Sho rubbed his back.  "But that doesn't matter now.  Kei, I want you to stop worrying about this.  I made you a promise and so far, you've managed to convince me that living isn't such a burden.  I know I said you'd better make it worth it to me when we changed our mind on the beach, but that was just talk."

 

Kei relaxed against him and he rested his chin on his chest.  "I took it literally."

 

"No shit."  Sho fought a chuckle.  Kei had that look of a lost stray again, with his pale bangs falling partway over one eye.  "Come here."

 

Kei obliged him with a little smile, squirming up his body to kiss him on the mouth.  He didn't resume his foreplay, but they kissed for several moments before embracing and shutting their eyes.  Sho held the smaller man close and pressed his lips against his forehead, hoping he'd managed to comfort his fears.  He'd been completely honest with him.  He had always been a daredevil and if he was fatally injured tomorrow, he would have no regrets.  He wasn't happy with the way he had to live, but with Kei at his side, it was bearable.  He didn't think it was such a bad thing to live for him, rather than for himself.

 

~*****************************~

* * *

 

Yang made good on his end of the bargain, and by the end of the month, Sho and Kei were seeing profits from their investment.  Satisfied with the way it had turned out, Sho arranged further business with the man.  He guessed that Yang had other motivations besides profit, just as he did.  He knew he was an associate of Chan's, and his daughter admitted to him during a conversation over the phone that she'd told him about him.  Sho found it both amusing and disturbing that the young Triad boss got the impression that Hana was cheating with him, but since Hanyu didn't know who he was at the time, he could forgive him that misunderstanding.  He wasn't particularly pleased to learn that the man had his daughter watched all the time, but that was because he considered that _his_ job…his and Kei's, that was. 

 

Sho and Kei began to associate with Yang regularly, making arrangements with him on both the black market and the legitimate market.  They invested in profits together—which cut down on the risk of loss and offered some protection.  Sho even grudgingly admitted he was starting to like the guy, and so was Kei. 

 

"We can't forget who we're dealing with," cautioned Kei one night as they sat down to a meal that offered no nutritional value to either of them.  He tested a nibble of kimchi and nodded in appreciation at the spicy flavor.  "He hasn't tried to screw us yet, but this is all a front to keep us under observation."

 

"Don't worry," assured Sho.  "I haven't forgotten the facts.  We're doing business with him for the same reason."  He scooped up some fried rice with his chopsticks with practiced ease. 

 

"As long as you don't drop your guard."

 

Sho paused with his bite of food halfway to his lips.  "Are you my partner, or my guardian?"

 

"I'm sorry," apologized Kei.  "I keep doing that, don't I?"

 

"You've always 'done that'," grumbled Sho.  "I got lectured more as an orphan than most other kids did by their parents."

 

Kei laughed softly around his food, covering his mouth politely.  "I just wanted to keep you safe, Sho."

 

"And you did," assured Sho with a shrug.  "As much as anyone could.  I was kind of a brat."  He took a bite of his rice and chewed, his mouth working in a way that fascinated Kei.  He noticed the brown-eyed stare and he looked at him, swallowing.  "What?"

 

Kei shook his head, embarrassed.  "Nothing.  I was just considering calling the waitress for another cocktail."  He picked up his nearly empty glass and swirled the remaining red liquid around. 

 

Sho nodded and looked up at the petite Japanese girl in the waitress uniform as she was passing by.  "My companion would like another Bloody Mary, when you get the chance."

 

"Of course, Mr. Sho," she answered respectfully, bowing to him.

 

Kei watched her go, and he made a quiet observation.  "You winked at her."

 

Sho looked hilariously confused, and Kei almost laughed at him.  "You did," he insisted before the taller man could ask him what the hell he was talking about.  "Maybe you didn't realize it."

 

"I did not," mumbled Sho almost petulantly.  "You must have imagined it.  I'm not a flirt."

 

"No, you're oddly shy, when it comes to romance," agreed Kei, "at least until you establish a rapport with your love interest.  Still, you winked at her."

 

"I don't believe you."  Sho took another bite of his rice and washed it down with his glass of chardonnay. 

 

"It's true," insisted Kei.  "I saw it, but that's okay.  She's very kawaii.  I don't blame you."

 

"I'm with _you_ now," reminded Sho, "and she's way too young for either of us."

 

"That doesn't mean you can't admire her," murmured Kei, aware that the waitress in question was returning to their booth with his fresh cocktail.  "I know I do."

 

Sho smirked.  "We've always had the same taste in women."  He hushed up when the waitress returned, and he gave her a brief, reserved smile and a nod as she set Kei's fresh drink down.

 

"Mr. Kwan insists that this meal and these drinks will be on the house," she informed them with a smile.  "Please enjoy, and tell me if I can bring you anything else."

 

"Thank you," Kei said gracefully, his eyes flicking to Sho with amusement as the taller man suddenly began to avoid looking at the young woman.  "We'll be sure to let you know."

 

She gave a little bow and a lock of her silky hair came free of the pins holding it back, to dangle over the right side of her face.  "Oh, excuse me," she apologized, quickly patting it back into place.  "I'll leave you to your meals now."

 

Kei watched her go, and he couldn't resist teasing his companion a little.  "You don't have to be embarrassed, Sho."

 

"Who says I'm embarrassed?"  Sho was blushing, though, and he kept his eyes down.

 

Kei silently reveled in this manifestation of the young man he once knew.  He hid his thoughts as best he could, enjoying the moment.  "Just admit you're attracted to her.  Like I said, I am too."

 

"Fine," grumbled Sho.  "I'm attracted to her.  I'd love to sink my teeth into her throat and listen to her moan my name.  Satisfied?"

 

Kei squirmed a little, flushing himself.  He wasn't expecting quite such a vehement response, but the mental image provoked by Sho's low utterance was an unexpected turn-on.  He blinked, somewhat shocked with himself.  The fantasy he'd begun to entertain was one of pure sadism, unworthy of a vampire who had made a vow to harm no innocents. 

 

"Kei, are you all right?  I didn't upset you, did I?"  Sho expressed uncommon concern, evidently misreading his reaction.

 

Kei met his eyes and he shook his head to clear his troubled thoughts.  "No, you didn't say anything wrong.  I'm just surprised by where my thoughts went, hearing you say that."

 

Sho smirked, evidently guessing where his thoughts had gone.  His earlier shyness vanished in the face of Kei's mortification, and it was his turn to poke fun. "Pervert."

 

"Eat your food," muttered Kei, and he reached for his drink again.

 

~****************************~

* * *

 

When she left work that night, the young woman who had caught both vampires' interest took a bus to the east side of Mallepa, to her apartment building.  It was the "middle class" part of town—an area in which Sho and Kei might have been surprised to discover she lived.  She walked past the fountain in the courtyard of the building block and she fished her keys out of her little black purse, her flowered black pumps striking the concrete delicately as she walked.  She moved with quiet self-assurance and confidence, aware of her surroundings and comfortable with them.

 

She greeted the security guard at the building's interest, familiar with him.  He opened the door for her and wished her a pleasant evening.  She went through the lobby and to the elevator, selecting the fifth floor as she got in.  She rode it to her floor, walked down the hallway and stopped at apartment 5-G.  She unlocked three separate deadbolts and stepped inside.  After shutting and locking the doors, removing her pumps and turning the lights on, she went to the cordless phone, sitting on its cradle on the counter island of her small kitchen.  She dialed a number by memory and put the phone to her ear as she unfastened her hair.

 

"It's Sasaki," she informed the man on the other line when he answered.  "You were right.  He has returned, and there is a connection with the families."

 

"I see," answered the man's voice.  "And his companion?"

 

She went to a drawer in her kitchen and she pulled out a file folder to look at photographs inside.  She marveled over how little the two men had changed, in more than ten years.  "He's with him.  They're business partners."

 

"Watch yourself," advised the man.  "Whether you believe me or not, you must guard your thoughts as well as your words, around these men.  Be very careful not to give yourself away.  We only want to observe them, for now."

 

"Yes," she agreed.  "I still don't believe they are what you say they are, but I understand that they're dangerous.  I'll be sure to let you know if I learn anything new."

 

"I'll contact you if instructions change," he said.  "Goodnight, Agent Sasaki."

 

She ended the call and she stood there in thought, mentally reviewing what she knew about this case.  The agency got her the waitress job by pulling some strings with Mr. Kwan, when it was discovered that the _true_ owner was back in town and dipping his feet back into the black market pool.  Detective Hidaka was determined to keep an eye on him and his associate—the latter of which once turned himself in for murder and begged to be put to death.  According to Hidaka, the blond man, known as "Kei", was ready to cooperate with the PSB and go willingly to his death, claiming that all they needed to do was put him out in the sun.  He got a call the night before his scheduled execution, though, and he changed his mind.  He broke free of the transport the next day and he got away, injuring but not killing two guards in the process.

 

Sasaki had asked why they never went after him again after that, and Hidaka explained that the evidence found to support Kei's murder confession was flimsy, at best.  Both victims had gunshot wounds, and the bullets in Kei's gun didn't match.  It was believed to be a result of a common gang shoot-out, and the only evidence to the contrary were the bite wounds in both men's throats.  As such, law officials were reluctant to give Kei the death penalty.  Men with much stronger cases against them stayed in the system for years, before being tried for execution.

 

Sasaki had a suspicion that they didn't delay Kei's execution because of a lack of evidence.  She got the distinct impression that her superior had arranged it himself, against the science department's wishes, because Kei had begged for it.  She couldn't be certain of that, however.  No matter how well she thought she knew the detective, he only tended to share information he believed pertinent to his goals.

 

The PSB wanted to eventually put an end to the organized crime in Mallepa, but the Triads and the Yakuza had been around for centuries, and they owned the city.  The first step to chipping away at their power base was to bring down the most lucrative and ruthless gangs, first.  Clan Xu was currently on top, and they were quickly earning the reputation of being animals.  The head officials wanted them stopped first, and the best way to get a feel of what they would be up against would be to infiltrate those who did business with them.  The exact number of men in Sho's organization wasn't currently known, but he was doing business with Yang—who was an associate of both Chan and Xu. 

 

Little steps.  A single pebble dropped into the water, to cause ripples.  Sasaki thought it was the smart thing to do, as open attempts to bring the Mafia to justice in the past had always failed.  Subterfuge was their best chance to get the evidence they needed to begin rounding up the organizations and putting them away for their crimes. 

 

The only problem was, she couldn't shake the feeling that her department was interested in Sho and Kei for reasons beyond reigning in organized crime.  She just couldn't determine what those reasons were, and it wasn't her job to question their motivation in the first place. 

 

She looked down at the photographs spread out over the counter island and she sighed, picking one up by the corners.  "I don't believe in vampires," she murmured at the handsome creatures in the picture, "but I _do_ believe there is more to this—and to _you_ —than meets the eye.  Maybe I'll find out what that is, eventually." 

 

~****************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued


	5. Chapter 5

**"Bound by blood"**

Chapter 5

A "Moon Child" fan fanfiction

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* * *

 

**_Author's note:_ ** _Life got in the way of me updating faster, as frequently happens.  I hope readers enjoy this chapter._

 

Disclaimer: I do not own "Moon child" or any of the characters.  This is strictly a non-profit endeavor, written for entertainment purposes only.

****

~**************************~

* * *

 

Several months later, Hana married Hanyu Chan.  By then, he and Sho had indirectly done business together on several occasions, and though they were both reluctant and wary of each other, they had established a rapport of mutual—albeit grudging—respect.  Yang worked as a sort of mediator between them, as their mutual associate.  Mr. And Mrs. Narita didn't know the details behind what the two men involved in their foster daughter's life did for a living, and they didn't care to.  They employed a mixture of denial and practicality to cope with the fact that the daughter they loved as their own was forever bound to the Mafia—first through blood and now through marriage.   

 

At Hana's request, they had an evening ceremony and Sho arrived with Kei in time to witness the end of it.  He stood at the back of the assembly silently watching, with his hands clasped before his hips and his legs slightly parted.  He'd tied his braids back into a long ponytail and his hair was combed back in an orderly, attractive fashion.  He wore white dress pants, a matching blazer and a black shirt.  Beside him, Kei had his hair pulled back into a ponytail as well, and the blond locks feathered gently over his deceptively youthful brow.  He wore a similar outfit to Sho's, except he wore burgundy colors with the black.  They had two of Sho's Yakuza with them, to remind the Chan family that they were part of Mallepa's hierarchy as well.

 

When Chan and Hana finished exchanging the rings, their vows and drinks of sake, they gave their traditional bows, held hands and faced the assembly.  Sho clapped slowly, managing a smile for his daughter when her hopeful, dark eyes met his over the distance.  Kei's smile was more genuine and revealed fewer teeth, as his wasn't tainted with aggression.  He nudged his partner when he caught Sho staring at Hanyu with a cold warning in his blue eyes.

 

"Now isn't the time for that," murmured the blond.  He nodded at Hana.  "Look at how happy she is.  Let's put aside mistrust and share it with her, tonight."

 

"Grmmph," came the grumbled reply.  Sho faked another smile for Hana's sake, sighing through his teeth.

 

Kei leaned closer and pitched his voice even lower.  "Without the fangs, Sho."

 

The taller man retracted his fangs, just in time.  His daughter approached after exchanging hugs with her foster parents.  Hanyu was speaking with his family, receiving their blessings and congratulations.  Kei guessed that Sho hadn't even realized his fangs had come out, and he felt some relief that none of the humans around them seemed to have noticed them.  Being more sensitive to the appearance of them as one who had to avoid revealing his own on a regular basis, Kei guessed he was simply more aware of that part of Sho's anatomy.

 

"Hana," murmured Sho, taking the young woman's hands in his.  "You look so beautiful in that dress…like your mother when we were married.  It suits you."

 

Hana looked down at the wedding gown bequeathed to her by Yi-Che.  "I had to have some adjustments made.  Mother was shorter than I am."  She gazed at him and Kei shyly, absently tucking a loose strand of hair back into place with the rest of it in the elegant twist.  "I worried you wouldn't approve."

 

Sho's tense expression finally softened, his eyes revealing old grief and regret.  He reached out to caress his daughter's face and he shook his head.  "Your mother meant for that dress to be yours, some day.  Of course, I approve.  I just wish…she was here with us to see you in it."

 

He leaned over her to place a kiss on her forehead, before stepping reluctantly away and allowing Kei to come forward.  The blond smiled at Hana with quiet pride and took her hands in his, as Sho had done.  He squeezed them gently and searched for words, feeling his throat tightening oddly. 

 

"Even though you have a husband now, I'll still watch over you," said Kei, picking his words with care.  "That's a promise I made for life, and I'll keep it for as long as I'm able to."

 

She swallowed and nodded, losing a bit of her composure.  "Thank you, Kei.  I know."

 

Kei looked down awkwardly, feeling so much at the moment but afraid of acting inappropriately and giving anyone the wrong idea.  He'd loved Hana's mother, after all, and he loved her father just as much.  He started to express his affection in his customary way of patting her on the head, but it occurred to him that such a thing was even more inappropriate to the situation than his initial instincts.

 

Behind him, Sho sighed.  "Would you just hug her?  You won't offend anyone."

 

Caught between embarrassment and relief, Kei smiled and he hesitantly held his arms out for Hana.  "May I hug the bride, then?"

 

She nodded and came into his embrace.  "Of course, Uncle Kei."

 

He held her carefully, like a china doll.  He stroked her coiled hair gently and he smiled a little, before finally holding her a little tighter.  "Don't forget your dream, Hana."

 

"I won't," she promised.  "And Hanyu will support me.  You'll see."

 

Kei really, truly hoped that was true—not just for Hana's sake, but for Chan's. 

 

~*************************~

* * *

 

"Thank you for coming," Hanyu said to Sho after Hana had her time with him and Kei.  He looked over at his new bride, who was speaking to his parents.  "Hana insisted that we get married at night, to accommodate your schedule.  I wouldn't have wanted to deprive her of the joy of having you here.  Your presence here has made this moment even happier for both of us."

 

Sho shook the young man's hand, resisting the urge to crush it in his grip.  "I'll always be here for my daughter.  Remember that."

 

"Of course."  Hanyu's attractive countenance was calm, and his black hair—now collar-length—feathered to the left of his brow, almost like Kei's.  "I love Hana very much, Mr. Sho.  If you believe nothing else about me, believe that.  I respect your desire to protect her, however."

 

Feeling as though he'd been one-upped by the younger man's graciousness, Sho motioned his companions away and he was thankful that Kei was busy speaking to the Narita's, else he might give him one of those lecturing glances, right about now.  His men stepped away obligingly and Chan's did the same when likewise instructed by their boss.  They busied themselves on opposite sides of the shrine while their bosses finished talking.

 

"We both know that Hana deserves better than a life with someone involved with the Triads," murmured Sho, "but she's made her choice, like her mother before her.  I can protect her physically to an extent, but I can't protect her heart."

 

"And you're suggesting I'll break it."

 

Sho looked at him sidelong.  "It isn't uncommon for some men in the organization to take mistresses, especially after a few years of marriage. I'd better not hear of you becoming one of them."

 

"I can only offer you my promise," reasoned Chan.  "You won't believe me until I prove it."

 

"Then I guess you'll have to prove it," Sho said dryly.  "I've got nothing but time."

 

Seeing Hana's foster father approaching, Sho decided to end the conversation.  "We've seen enough bad blood between our people, Chan.  I'll continue to put the past aside for the sake of peace, for Hana's happiness."  He turned his glittering gaze back to his new son-in-law, holding his eyes.  "The offer is only good for as long as you keep to our terms, Mr. Chan."

 

Hanyu gave a stiff, formal bow and left his side to rejoin Hana.

 

~*************************~

* * *

 

"Can I have a word alone with you, Mr. Sho?"

 

There was nothing to do but comply, and Sho walked outside with Mr. Narita to follow the garden path.  He slipped his hands into his pockets as he kept pace with the shorter man, passing beneath some blossoming trees as their steps carried them away from the building and the congregation.

 

"I know you're like him," Narita said at last, stopping by the wishing fountain when they were far enough away.  He nodded back at the shrine.  "Your friend, who still appears as young as our Hana.  Neither of you are human, are you?"

 

Sho bit back a curse.  "No," he admitted.  "But we _were_ human, once."

 

"Of that, I have no doubt," answered Narita.  "But I suspected your nature the day you gave her to us to raise.  Tell me, will she become like you, some day?"

 

"No," answered Sho immediately, "absolutely not.  This isn't genetic.  We have to be…made…this way.  I'll never allow it to happen to her."

 

Narita nodded pensively.  "I see."

 

"You can't tell anyone," Sho said firmly.  "Not just for our sake, but for your own."

 

"Who would believe me?"  Narita shrugged.  "Besides, I could never endanger Hana's father that way.  You gave us your child when we couldn't have one of our own.  I'll never do anything to make her cry."

 

"Unlike me," sighed Sho, recalling the sight of her weeping face the day he left her. 

 

"You did what was right by an innocent child," defended the other man.  "And having confirmation of what I suspected, I understand even better now.  It wasn't just grief and your ties to the crime organizations that drove you.  Thank you, for putting her needs before yours…and for giving us a child to raise, though _you_ will always be her father."

 

Sho realized that this was the perfect time to say something he'd been wanting to say for a decade, but could never find the words.  He stared at the shorter, older-looking man and he forced his thoughts to the surface, allowing them to manifest in his words.

 

"Thank _you_ ," he said softly, "for raising my girl for me, when I couldn't.  She grew up…even more special than I had hoped she would.  I know I have you and your wife's influence, to thank for that."

 

Narita bowed modestly.  "It has been our honor and privilege.  Hana is indeed a very special girl."

 

Sho offered his hand and Narita took it.  As they shook, the vampire sighed and glanced back at the building.  "The banquet will be starting soon.  We should get back in there, before our girl comes looking for us."

 

"Agreed."

 

~******************************~

* * *

 

After the banquet, the newly married couple said their good-byes and thanks to their friends, families and work associates, and then they got into their limo and left.  Sho sighed heavily as he watched the luxury car drive away with his one and only child, and beside him, Kei sighed as well.

 

"It was a nice ceremony," offered the blond.  The crowd was breaking up as people left to go home.

 

"I guess so," grumbled Sho without any real enthusiasm. 

 

"Boss, where to next?" asked one of their men.

 

Sho looked at them, then at Kei.  "Is there somewhere you want to go?"

 

Kei covertly ran his tongue over his teeth.  Yes, there was somewhere he wanted to go.  It had been nearly a week since he'd last fed, and Sho needed blood, too.  He didn't like doing it in the presence of the men, though…even though they were aware of his and Sho's nature.  Only those who had proven their loyalty beyond a doubt knew the truth.  It felt vulgar to him, though.  He didn't want to leave it up to chance that one of these men might turn on them under pressure and list off their victims to the police, or to their enemies. 

 

He considered telling them to take the car and leave him and Sho to take a cab elsewhere, but it wasn't a good idea to leave without an escort—even if he and Sho were impervious to bullets.  Kei recognized a couple of players from the Xu clan hanging around, supposedly there on behalf of their boss to extend his blessings to the new couple.  The Chan's weren't likely to attack them, but if the Xu's decided to, they would probably join in.  The last thing they needed was to end up in a shootout in public.

 

"Let's go to the restaurant," suggested Kei.  "They can drop us off there and take the car back.  We'll take a cab when we're ready to go home."

 

~***************************~

* * *

 

"Sho, we should go out and feed," suggested Kei softly once they were in their favorite booth at the restaurant. 

 

Sho stirred his cocktail absently with the little straws, staring at the pale golden liquid in the glass as if the floating ice cubes held hidden answers within them.  "Doesn't feel right, so soon after Hana's wedding.  I'll pass."

 

Their favorite waitress stopped by the table with a pair of menus.  "I'm so sorry for the wait," she apologized with her sweet little smile.  "We are _very_ busy tonight."

 

"That's okay, Mariko." Kei smiled at the young woman and opened his menu.  "We aren't very hungry tonight, so there's no rush.  It's been a big day."

 

"Right," she said, her dark gaze sliding to Sho.  "Your daughter's wedding was this evening, wasn't it, Mr. Sho?  Forgive me if it's none of my business."

 

"That's okay," Sho said to her, managing a half-hearted smile for her sake.  "Yes, Hana got married tonight.  No, I'm not happy about it."

 

"Most fathers wouldn't be, to see their daughters go to another man," she reasoned kindly.  "At least, not at first."  She frowned in concern when he looked up from the menu at her.  "Are you feeling all right this evening, Mr. Sho?  Forgive me, but you seem a little pale."

 

"I'm fine," assured Sho.  "I just need some…iron."  His gaze went to the girl's throat and Kei knew potential trouble when he saw it.  The blond cleared his throat—more to get Sho's attention than the waitress—and he pointed at an item on the menu.

 

"How is the squid tonight, Mariko?"

 

She gave a delicate grimace.  "Not as good as usual, unfortunately.  The last batch to come in was from a different supplier, and it wasn't the usual quality.  The rest of our seafood is good, though.  Can I recommend the steamed ginger fish?"

 

Kei thought about it and nodded.  "That sounds fine.  Sho?"

 

The other man stared blankly at the menu, before shaking his head and folding it up.  "Nothing for me, thank you."

 

"You're sure?  I could put in a special order for you, if you like."

 

Sho considered it and he looked as though he would turn her down again, but he changed his mind.  "Bring me a steak, then.  Make it _very_ rare.  I want it to moo when I cut into it."

 

She smiled and nodded.  "Of course, Mr. Sho.  I'll put in the order right away.  Would you like some rice and steamed vegetables to go with that?"

 

"Sure, why not?"  There was a shrug of indifference in Sho's voice. 

 

The waitress started to leave, but Kei thought about the taste of blood in his mouth—even if it was just the teasing tang of animal blood, and he stopped her.  "Mariko, could we change my order to the same thing, please?  Very rare, like Sho's."

 

She gave him a little bow and a smile, tucking the menus under one arm.  "Of course, Mr. Kei.  I'll be sure and stress that you both want it extremely rare."

 

When she left them, Kei looked at his companion and his brows furrowed with concern.  Mariko's observation wasn't wrong.  Sho was starting to get that pallor associated with anemic people and starving vampires.  His lips were losing pigment and they were beginning to look chapped.  His gaze was blank, like someone who had trouble focusing his eyes due to lack of sleep or illness.  Beneath the table, Kei brushed his foot against Sho's.

 

"You skipped the last feed too," he whispered, "and you used to lecture me about starving myself.  Please, we have a lot of business to attend this week.  You need your strength.  Take your own advice, and don't deprive yourself out of guilt."

 

Sho made a huffing sound and shrugged.  "This isn't guilt," he assured him.  He took a drink from his glass and swallowed, his blue eyes meeting Kei's over the table.  "This is…depression.  Let me mourn what I've lost tonight, Kei."

 

"I think you've mourned enough," challenged the blond seriously.  "You haven't lost Hana.  I know you have regrets over missing her growing up, but you can see her whenever you want now.  You ought to be trying to celebrate, not feel sorry for yourself."

 

"You're one to talk," countered Sho with a frown.  "You've spent more time on the pity pot since I've known you than I could even hope to compete with."

 

"But that was me," insisted Kei with a painful smirk.  "This is you.  This isn't your style and it never _has_ been."

 

"Haven't you figured it out?" Sho demanded.  "My 'style' has changed since I was mortal.  Just let me fucking brood, all right?"

 

The reprimand stung, whether Sho meant for it to or not.  Kei nodded and took one more sip of his cocktail, before getting to his feet.

 

"Where are you going?" Sho asked as the blond turned away from the booth.

 

"Letting you brood," answered Kei softly.  "I'm stepping outside for some air."

 

Sho spread his hands helplessly.  "There's plenty of air in here.  Kei, wait…"

 

"I'll be back before the food comes," Kei assured, not stopping.

 

~*****************************~

* * *

 

Sho agonized inwardly.  A part of him was still the petulant boy Kei once knew, deep inside.  He believed he had every reason to sulk but the man in him knew that his companion was right.  Hana was alive, healthy and apparently very happy with her life, so he should be satisfied with that.  He couldn't balance his fatherly concerns with logic right now, though.  All this time, he'd hoped secretly that his daughter would break things off with Chan before the wedding day arrived, but it was not to be.  Now he'd gone and hurt Kei's feelings…again. 

 

"I'm good at doing that," he sighed to himself.  All Kei had ever done was support him and be there for him, and all Sho seemed to be able to do in return was add more grief to his already burdened, eternal life.

 

Deciding that he needed to fix this, Sho got up to go outside and look for Kei.  He motioned to one of the waiters—a Cantonese boy whose name he could never remember.  When the young man obligingly came to his side, Sho pointed at the booth he and Kei had been sitting at.

 

"I'm going out for a smoke with my friend.  Make sure nobody clears our booth or takes it, would you?  We have food coming."

 

"Yes sir," agreed the waiter respectfully. 

 

Satisfied that they wouldn't lose their seats, Sho waited for a young couple to pass through the doors before going outside to find Kei.

 

~**********************************~

* * *

 

Kei glanced at the other vampire briefly as Sho found him in the alley and leaned against the wall with him.  He saw the orange flash of the lighter and he smelled the cigarette smoke as the other vampire lit up.  Sho held the smoking cigarette out to him invitingly.

 

"Peace offering," murmured the taller man, exhaling a jet of smoke into the night air.

 

Kei took the cigarette and enjoyed a long, slow drag.  He tilted his head back and blew the smoke up, before turning his head to regard the other man.  "I'm not mad at you."

 

Sho looked at him warily.  "Maybe you _should_ be.  I was a jerk back there."

 

Kei shrugged his slim shoulders and looked up at the strip of night sky visible between the buildings.  "I've done the same thing to you plenty of times in the past.  Maybe this is just karma."  He looked at him and a quiet smile curved his mouth.  "Besides, at least I know that when you push me away like that, you'll always bring me back in sooner or later."  He offered the cigarette back.

 

Sho took the item and had a puff as he looked down at his nice dress shoes and kicked a bit of trash away.  "Do I jerk you around, Kei?"

 

"Maybe you could, if I let you," answered the blond calmly, "but I know how to handle you by now."

 

Sho expressed a hint of amusement in his gaze.  "You wish.  I don't get 'handled'."

 

"Of course you do," insisted Kei, gazing at him with playful flirtation, "you just don't know how to admit it." 

 

He demonstrated his point by stepping away from the wall and in front of Sho.  After a quick look up and down the alley to be sure nobody was nearby, he slipped his hands around the taller man's waist and he kissed him.  There was some uncertain resistance at first, because they generally avoided publicly displaying the nature of their relationship.  Sho responded quickly, losing his inhibition as desire took over.  He dropped his cigarette to the broken pavement and he crushed it beneath his shoe, before turning Kei around and pushing him up against the wall. 

 

Taken briefly off-guard by the abrupt move, Kei felt a little thrill go through him.  He couldn't say he'd ever been with anyone as impulsive as Sho, and in situations like this, it was a huge turn-on.  He murmured into his mouth and sucked on his tongue as it caressed his, and he threaded his fingers through Sho's as the taller man held his hands up against the wall.  Kei groaned softly when that exploring tongue stroked back and forth over his teeth, caressing the sensitive canines that threatened to elongate.  The sensation was almost sexual and he suspected Sho was very much aware of that.  The situation in his pants quickly mimicked the situation of his teeth as his fangs began to grow under the erotic assault. 

 

"Mph…Sho," muttered the blond warningly, "we shouldn't get carried away.  The staff could come take the trash out at any moment and see us like this."

 

Sho gave him one last, deep kiss and tickled his fangs for a moment, holding him firmly against the wall.  When he released him, Kei was breathless and caught between hunger and horniness.  Sho looked him up and down, grinned subtly at the protrusion in his pants, saw the state of his fangs and then winked at him.

 

"Gave you a 'fanger'."

 

Kei shifted uncomfortably and closed his mouth, trying to bring his teeth back under control.  "Jerk."

 

Sho allowed a brief, low-pitched chuckle of sensuality.  Everything about the man was sensual, Kei decided.  "Come on, let's go back inside.  Our steaks are probably ready now.  It isn't as though they had to cook them for long."

 

Kei nodded in agreement, adjusting his pants and closing his jacket to conceal the lingering effect of Sho's manhandling.  They walked out of the alley together and as soon as they made it into the open, someone called Sho's name from the open window of a red sports car parked by the curb.  Kei had time to see Asian features, partially masked by a pair of shades, before he noticed the gun.  He jumped in front of his lover as the man in the driver's seat fired three shots, and he vaguely heard the alarmed shouts of passers-by and Sho's yell of protest.  His preternatural body absorbed the slugs, stopping them from going right through him as they might have in a mortal body.

 

"Kei!"

 

The shout was full of rage and shock.  Strong arms caught hold of him from behind as he fell, and he was eased down to the ground.  He looked up and saw Sho standing over him a moment later, drawing the twin pistols holstered to his thighs beneath the white coat.  Coughing blood, the blond vampire reached clumsily for his own gun, but he was lying on it.  Sho fired rapidly at the retreating vehicle, and the tires squealed and there was the pungent smell of burning rubber as the car peeled away.  Kei saw two bullet holes appear on the rear window of the car, before a third shattered it.  He thought he saw someone flail in the back seat before the vehicle turned around a corner, and then it was out of sight.

 

"Sho," he coughed, climbing to his feet painfully. 

 

Some of the staff had come outside to investigate—including Mariko and Kwan.  Sho stopped shooting, and he glared down the street at the escaped threat.  He turned his gaze to Kei and his hard expression softened.  He holstered his weapons and he squatted down to help the injured vampire back to his feet, while Kwan, two bus-boys and the pretty little Japanese waitress they both liked came hurrying over.

 

"I'll call an ambulance and the police," offered Kwan.

 

"No," countered Sho firmly.  "Don't call _either_ of them.  This is Yakuza and Triad business.  The law has no place in it."

 

"But he's been _shot_ ," argued Kwan with a worried look at Kei's bloodied, hole-ridden shirt.  "He should be in the hospital!"

 

"I'll…be okay," promised Kei, leaning into Sho's support.  "I have body armor on under my clothes.  We both do."

 

"But…there's _blood_!"  One of the bus-boys said with a gesture at the ruined shirt.

 

"It's fake," Sho improvised.  "You think this is the first time someone's taken a shot at either of us?"

 

"Please," Mariko said with a worried look around, "We shouldn't stay out here.  They could come back."

 

Kei sensed something odd from the girl and if he weren't suffering the gutting pain of the bullet wounds, he would have taken a moment to examine it.  As it was, she made a good point, and there were too many curious eyes about.  "Yeah, we should get inside."

 

"Not through the front," Sho advised.  "Through the back.  We don't need the customers asking questions."

 

~*******************************~

* * *

 

They took over Kwan's office and shooed everyone away.  Once they were alone in the office, Sho locked the door and he turned to regard his lover.  Kei was sprawled on the loveseat opposite the desk, breathing heavily as he fought two kinds of torment.  The pain of his injuries would soon be at war with the increased thirst for blood, thanks to the loss of his own.  Feeling the burning in his own parched veins, Sho sighed and walked over to him.  He knelt before the loveseat and put his hands on the blond's parted knees, looking up at him.  Only his eyes expressed his deep feelings for him as he spoke.

 

"Well, you wanted to hunt.  I think we have our targets."

 

Kei grimaced and wiped at a trickle of blood that seeped from the corner of his mouth.  "I couldn't identify them."

 

"I memorized the car make and license plate," Sho informed him, "and I know they were some of Xu's men.  I got one of them as they tried to get away.  I could smell the blood.  I hope I blew his brains out."

 

Kei reached out and stroked Sho's hair, running his fingers through the thick lion's main on top.  "He'll be hard to drink, if you did."

 

Sho smirked and lowered his bright gaze.  "We need to get these bullets taken care of, before we do anything.  Do you want me to call Lynch?"

 

Kei appeared to seriously consider it, but he shook his head and sighed, laying his head back against the back of the loveseat.  "No.  You don't have the lightest touch, but I know he's out on another job tonight.  We'll make due." 

 

Demont Lynch was one of Sho's foreign men, originally from the Caribbean.  He'd had some medical training before things went downhill at home and he immigrated to Mallepa like so many others, looking for work and an affordable cost of living.  Sadly, he never became the doctor he wanted to become, but his skills proved useful in situations where the crew got hurt.  Sometimes hospitalization was necessary in severe cases, but it was best overall not to leave any of their men in a vulnerable position, where enemies could sneak in and take them out while they recovered in the hospital.  Sho hadn't regretted hiring him on yet, and he paid him well for his services.

 

"You sure?  It's just a minor job and they aren't likely to need him if I call him away."

 

Kei nodded.  "It's okay.  Just get me to the apartment and give me a couple shots of Vodka, before you start."

 

There was a knock at the door, and Mariko's voice floated through.  "Excuse me please, but can I get you anything?  We are…very worried."

 

"I'll take care of her," Sho murmured when Kei cast a concerned look at the door.  He winked at the blond.  "I think she likes you."

 

Kei shook his head, giving a wan smile.  "No, she likes you."

 

Sho rose partway to his feet and he loomed in for a brief kiss.  "Maybe she likes us both.  It just means she has good taste."

 

Kei sighed, though his lips were quirked with amusement.  "Would you just go and tell her we're okay?"

 

"No need to get upset," Sho teased. 

 

He got up and walked to the door, unlocking it before opening it a crack.  The waitress' pretty little face looked up at him outside, and her velvety dark eyes were full of concern.  "I'm sorry to intrude," she apologized again.  "Mr. Kwan asked me to see if you need anything, and I was worried too.  Will Mr. Kei be all right?"

 

"He'll be fine," Sho assured her.  "He's just got some bruising from the impact.  Tell Kwan we'll be out of his office, soon.  We're leaving."

 

She gave a nod.  "Of course, sir.  Please let me know if I can do anything for you, before you leave."

 

Sho's gaze automatically went to the graceful column of her throat and he swallowed.  He could feel her concern, and her willingness to help.  He also caught a brief, confusing mental image of her wielding a gun and shooting at the men who had attacked him, and he presumed it was just her personal fantasy about defending them.  He almost smiled, but he thought about what it would be like to taste her, and his teeth elongated as a result.  He pressed his lips together and nodded curtly, careful not to show his fangs as he responded to her.

 

"We'll let you know.  Thank you."

 

~****************************~

* * *

 

_A little while later in another part of town:_

Sho winced as he dug out the final slug and dropped it in the tray with the other three bloody pieces.  He looked up at his companion with concern he couldn't mask, torn by the pain twisting Kei's sculpted face.

 

"Sorry," he murmured.  "I've never been good at this sort of thing.  I wish you would have let me get Lynch."

 

"It's fine," Kei assured him.  "You did better this time than the last.  I'll heal."

 

Sho sighed.  "You'll do it better with some blood in you."  He wiped off the last remaining traces of the substance in question from Kei's lean torso and he watched the final wound close up slowly.  Usually, breaks in the skin healed instantly for a well-fed vampire.  "Do you feel up to it?"

 

Kei nodded and he reached for the fresh shirt draped over the side of the couch.  He slipped it on and he paused in the action of buttoning the black garment up, his eyes catching Sho's.  He stroked the taller man's hair affectionately and gently drew his head to his chest, urging him to rest his cheek there.

 

"Don't worry so much."

 

"I'm not worried," insisted Sho, but he rubbed his cheek against Kei's bared chest, returning the affection in a way he mightn't have done a few months ago.  "I'm just hungry, and you're no good to me if you weaken."  He spoiled the gruff comment by turning his head and pressing soft kisses against Kei's chest. 

 

"If I weren't starving, I'd be tempted to put off the hunt," sighed Kei.

 

Sho paused his kissing to shake his head.  "Not happening.  Those bastards shot you—"

 

"They were aiming for you," reminded Kei.

 

"But they hit _you_ ," countered Sho, "and they're going to bleed for that.  I'm tracking them down tonight, and even if I can't find them in time to repay them, I'll at least find out where they are.  I understand if you aren't feeling up to it, and I'll try to bring one back for you—"

 

"Whoa, hold on," interrupted Kei with a look of alarm.  "First, I didn't say I wasn't up for it.  Second, even if I _weren't_ up for it, you can't just 'bring one back' for me like takeout!  We never take our kills to the lair, Sho.  You know that.  Never bring the trail back to us."

 

"Stop calling it a 'lair', you sound like Dracula."

 

"I will, as soon as you promise you won't go dragging Mafia punks back here for me to feed on," insisted Kei.

 

Sho pulled away and smirked at him.  "You were the one insisting that we feed tonight, remember?  Now I've got a good reason to.  Don't worry though; I won't spoil you that way.  I'd steal from a blood bank, first."

 

Kei snorted.  "I can see you holding up a hospital to rob the blood bank."

 

"I'd do it, for you."  Sho's lips had a hint of a smile on them, but his gaze was serious.

 

Kei briefly toyed with the hoop piercing Sho's left earlobe, drawing an involuntary shiver of pleasure from him.  "I'm sure you would."  He finished buttoning up his shirt and when Sho stood up and offered his hand, Kei took it. 

 

"Let's check our ammo, before we go," suggested Sho.  "I've got to make a phone call, too."

 

~*************************~

* * *

 

Sho had to enlist the aid of a friend he knew in the Mallepa police department to locate the guilty party.  Kei was impressed by the number of people who seemed to owe his companion favors—on both sides of the law.  Sho never talked about it in detail, but he hadn't stayed completely out of the loop over the years, even though he avoided direct contact with people as much as possible during his self-imposed isolation.  He'd built up a powerbase and Kei highly doubted that the Chinese Triads even realized just how strong it was. 

 

"Thank you," Sho said to the officer on the phone.  "Consider your debt paid."

 

Kei watched him as he put his cell away and got up from the couch.  "That simple?  One phone call?"

 

Sho checked his guns one last time and he went to the window, looking out at the city.  "The Chinese think they own Mallepa, and maybe they do," he said softly.  He turned a bit and looked at Kei.  "But people like us know how to _survive_ here, better than they ever will.  I use resources they take for granted."

 

Kei nodded in understanding.  "You were always resourceful.  So, what did they have for you?"

 

Sho retrieved a cigarette from his jacket and he lit it.  "Those guys tried to cover up their tracks, but their license plate was on record and my friend pulled the file on it.  The owner is one of Xu's men, and he's got about a dozen unpaid speeding tickets.  He also threatened an officer last week, so my 'friend' on the force didn't really have an issue with giving me a name and an address."  Sho looked him up and down.  "You ready?"

 

Kei checked his watch.  "If you think we can do this before sunrise, then let's go."

 

~*******************************~

* * *

 

_South-side Mallepa, the next day:_

"Boss, I think you should see this."

 

Xu looked up from his computer and he frowned at his associate.  "Can it wait?  I still have a lot of figures to go over."

 

"We lost seven guys last night," answered the other Taiwanese man, holding a data hub device in his hand, "and this is the security clip retrieved from the scene.  I think you should watch it, sir."

 

Xu sighed and gestured.  "Fine.  Hand it over and let's have a look."

 

His first thought was that some low-life, rival gang members did a heist against his people to make a name for themselves.  That happened a lot, in Mallepa.  When the security stream started up, he was forced to revise his opinion.  At first, nothing seemed amiss.  Some of his low-rank employees sat around a table, playing Mahjong for cash.  Others could be seen moving around in the background of the private club, chatting. 

 

The sound of gunfire rudely interrupted the game, and the men at the table hastily reached for their weapons.  One of them went down with blood spraying from his neck, shot before he could retaliate.  Xu narrowed his eyes when he saw the figure of a man doing an impressive flip through the air, and he recognized the face and hairstyle of Sho.  The Japanese mafia boss kicked the gun right out of one man's hand, whilst simultaneously shooting another man directly in the heart.  His blond friend came up behind him and he did something that had Xu staring hard at the screen. 

 

"What in the hell _are_ they?" he murmured as Kei took a flying leap that defied nature. 

 

Only in Kung-Fu movies should moves like that exist.  In reality, no matter how skilled a person was with martial arts, they still had to obey the laws of gravity.  This man was apparently immune to them, however.  There were shouts of alarm and yells of pain as the Triad opened fire on the two men in a desperate attempt to defend themselves.   The blond guy took a grazing hit in the arm.  The bullet gash was visible in his bare arm.  He didn't seem to notice it at all, except to frown when some of his blood spotted his Led Zeppelin logo'd muscle shirt.  He passed out of view of the security camera, evidently in pursuit of the men responsible for the hit. 

 

Someone went down out of sight of the camera, their cry abruptly cut off.  Another agonized yell from a different voice followed it, trailing off into the background.  Sho was demonstrating substantial skill with martial arts, somehow dodging bullets while performing moves straight out of a Bruce Lee movie.  He did a cartwheel in mid-air, before kicking one of Xu's men in the head and shooting another in the leg.  The carnage went on and despite the odds against them, the two Japanese men were the only ones left standing when the conflict ended.  The blond guy Kei stood off to the left, wiping blood from his lips.  Sho stared straight up at the camera, and he made a gesture of greeting before aiming his pistol at it and firing.  The feed went black.

 

"This is not good," remarked Xu after several moments of silence.  "I want people on this immediately, and I want the other bosses informed of this unprovoked attack."

 

"Pardon me Sir, but it wasn't exactly 'unprovoked'", remarked the gangster that brought him the data.  "Word is out that the men in that club tried to take down Sho, outside that restaurant he's invested in.  His blond friend took the bullets meant for him.  They tracked our people down a few hours later and we found what was left of them after sunrise, when some of the boys went to collect the weekly earnings from them."

 

Xu pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, feeling a headache coming on.  The blond friend made a remarkable recovery.  He must have been wearing body armor.  "Our people tried to do a hit without my permission?"

 

The bald man nodded.  "I'm afraid so.  If we take this to the Triads, Sho will claim self-defense."

 

"Perfect." 

 

Xu clenched his jaw and thought the matter over.  No matter what he did, there was going to be a reckoning of some sort.  War between the Triads was inevitably coming, but he fully intended for it to start on _his_ terms, not those of some reckless kids trying to make a name for themselves.  His family had grown in might and influence over the years, and it was now arguably even more lucrative than the Chan family.  He was working on integrating smaller families into his own—a common practice in the business when a Triad wanted to expand.  This sort of thing threatened to put a kink in his plans, and he couldn't have that.  He'd given his sanction to screw Sho over the first time he did business with him, but once it became clear that he was a bigger player than first thought, Xu kept his distance and observed.  Now his reckless underlings fucked things up and lost their lives, in the process.

 

"Let's arrange a meeting of the Triads," he suggested after mulling it over.  "I'm going to publicly denounce these actions and make it known that this clan had nothing to do with it.  Let's see if we can maintain some semblance of peace with Sho and his Yakuza, even if it's only temporary."

 

His underling nodded.  "Right away, Sir."

 

As the other man left him alone in his office, Xu's gaze went to the computer screen again, and he replayed the security stream.  It was a puzzle to him that two men could take on seven with hardly a scratch to show for it.  Then again, Sho had a reputation for landing on all fours like a cat, despite the odds.  Xu thought the stories he'd heard of the man's past exploits were exaggerated, but now he wasn't so certain of that.  Fortune clearly favored the Jap, and it would be wise to step lightly, until a weakness could be discerned. 

 

~****************************~

* * *

 

_A couple of days later, just after sunset:_

"Kei, wake up."  The feel of the velvety, seductive lips caressing his jaw was a pleasant way to rouse from sleep, and the blond murmured sleepily and reached out for his companion.  He heard the low rumble amusement in Sho's chest as the other man chuckled.  "Now isn't the time for that.  You need to get up."

 

"What's so important?" Kei muttered, disappointed that the other man wasn't allowing him to cuddle.  He looked up at Sho and covered a yawn as the taller man stepped away from the bedside.

 

Sho went to the closet and opened it, going through Kei's side critically.  "Don't you have any nice clothes at all?"

 

Kei sat up and scratched an itch on his shoulder, shrugging.  "I was turned before I even became a legal adult, Sho.  I guess my taste in clothes reflects that."

 

Sho gave an unimpressed snort, and he paused in sorting through the hanging garments to look over his shoulder at Kei.  "That's no excuse.  I dressed better than this when I was a teen."

 

"I've never been that worried about fashion," argued Kei, trying not to smile at the other man's distress.  "You know that, and it's never bothered you before.  Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

 

"We've been invited to a meeting," answered Sho.  "And all the Triad bosses are going to be there.  Yang said it's been put together by Xu, and he wants to bargain with us."

 

"He tried to take us out," reminded Kei with a frown.  "I think it's a little late to bargain."

 

"I agree, but he's claiming he had nothing to do with the hit, and his family is disassociating with the men that did it."  Sho paused and stared thoughtfully into space.  "I'm interested to hear his excuse.  According to Yang, he's accepted responsibility for the first attack on us, but not this one."

 

"Something smells funny," observed Kei warily.

 

"Probably those socks you left on the floor."  Sho gave him a brief hint of a smile. 

 

"I'm serious," Kei said, rolling his eyes.  "This feels like a setup, to me.  Why would he own one attack on us, but claim innocence on the other?"

 

"Maybe because now he knows what we're capable of," suggested Sho.  "I made sure to say 'hello' to the camera when we took out their guys the other night.  He has to have seen the security feed and he knows exactly who's responsible for the death of his men."

 

Kei paled, having neglected to even consider the possibility of security cameras.  "Sho, do you think he saw me feeding on his people?"

 

"I doubt it," answered the taller man.  "I only saw one camera in that place and you were out of range of it when you pigged out."

 

"But what if I wasn't?" insisted Kei.  "What if it got caught on film?"

 

Sho shrugged, unconcerned.  "Then he probably thinks we're a pair of psycho cannibals and he's got even more reason to avoid pissing us off.  Look, I'm sure the camera didn't catch you feeding, okay?  Let's just worry about finding you something decent to wear.  We want to look professional for this."

 

Kei sighed, hoping he was right.  The ugly truth of the matter was that if anyone ever got their hands on visual proof of his and Sho's nature, it could be used as a tool to blackmail.  He desperately hoped that wasn't what this meeting was really about.  He got out of bed and came up behind his lover, looking forlornly into the closet.

 

"I guess I really _don't_ have many nice clothes.  I could wear the same outfit I wore to the wedding."

 

"No, that would give the impression that we can't afford to dress you properly," sighed Sho.  "Just put something on and we'll go shopping, before we head to the meeting.  I want you looking sharp."

 

Kei sighed again, looking down at his jogging pants.  Sometimes Sho made him feel like he was a teenager again…and not in a good way.  For practical matters such as this, the 'younger' vampire was the mature one.  He put up with it though, because it made his companion happy to fuss over him.

 

~**********************************~

* * *

 

Sho was a little surprised when he found Hanyu Chan at the meeting.  "Shouldn't you still be on your honeymoon with my daughter?"

 

The young man appeared slightly uncomfortable as he glanced around at the other bosses present, but it was so well concealed that only those with supernatural senses could have detected it.  "This was too important for me to pass up, Mr. Sho.  Believe it or not, I'm here to support you."

 

"Hmph.  We'll see."  Sho had a quick look around and did a mental head-count of the names at the table.  Indeed, all influential Mafia bosses of Mallepa appeared to be present.

 

"Thank you for the invitation," Sho said as he and Kei took their seats at the table.  The meeting was taking place in Yang's office—which was considered neutral territory between the Triads.  Sho nodded at the young lady who offered him a glass of champagne, and he gave her a brief smile.  He noticed Kei roll his eyes and he gave him a look that asked what his problem was.

 

" _Flirt_ ," mouthed the blond, but he also smiled at the woman and thanked her for the drink.

 

 _"Look who's talking,_ " Sho mouthed back.  His gaze swept over the blond admiringly though, and he forgot all about the attractive serving girl.  Sho had to hand it to himself; he knew how to dress people.  Kei looked fuckably sensational in the dark, forest-green long-sleeved shirt and black pants.  Reds were generally his color, but Sho wanted to try something different and he found that his lithe companion wore greens quite well, too. 

 

Kei fidgeted a little and bit his lip, visibly fighting a grin as he looked away.  Realizing he was staring and that it would raise some questions if their associates noticed it, Sho tore his gaze off of his companion and he addressed the graying Taiwanese man sitting across from him.  "Mr. Xu, I'm sure you have a good reason for inviting us here.  I'm interested to hear what that is."

 

Xu took his drink from the serving girl and nodded to her, and Yang motioned for her to leave.  Once she was gone, the latter addressed Sho.  "Mr. Xu regrets the actions of his people, and he has assured me they were carried out without his permission."

 

Sho kept looking at Xu.  "I'd like to hear it from _him_."

 

"Very well," agreed Xu as Yang fell into silence.  "I did not tell those boys to attack you, Mr. Sho.  They were young and impulsive, out to make a name for themselves by taking down the only Yakuza boss to ever climb so high in the ranks of Mallepa's organized families.  They thought you were my enemy, and they acted to gain my favor.  They acted foolishly and they have paid for it.  There will be no retaliation from Clan Xu for your actions."

 

Sho smirked and he reached into his pocket to pull out his pack of cigarettes.  He raised his brows at Yang.  "May I?"

 

Yang pushed the ashtray over to him and nodded his consent.  "Of course, Sho.  I think I'll join you, in fact.  Gentlemen, smoke if you've got them."

 

A couple of the lesser crime lords took him up on the offer.  The rest seemed more interested in hearing what Sho was going to say in response to Xu's claims, and they watched him with quiet eagerness.  The vampire put his amusement on the back burner and he offered a cigarette to his companion, who took it with a nod of thanks.  Once he lit up and inhaled, Sho blew the smoke in Xu's general direction and made his statement.

 

"Seems like your people do a lot of this kind of thing behind your back, Mr. Xu.  Maybe you should look into controlling them better."

 

"This was the first incident of that nature," argued Xu.  "I already admitted to approving the first."

 

"But to what gain?" asked Chan, puzzled.  "The first attack was unprovoked to begin with.  Do you expect us to now believe that you're innocent of planning the second one?"

 

"The first was a test," insisted Xu.  "Gentlemen, we make it no secret that we have no love for foreigners.  They take our business and they interfere with the hierarchy of the Triads."

 

Several of the men nodded in agreement, staring at Sho and Kei with less than friendly expressions.

 

"Then you and I have a problem," Sho informed, refusing to be intimidated, "because I bring in a large chunk of the business you profit from."

 

"Yes, you do," agreed Xu.  "And had I realized it would be that way from the beginning, I never would have tested your strength the way I did.  I'm here today asking you to put the past behind us and start with a clean slate.  You are clearly worthy of doing business with the Mallepa Triads, Mr. Sho.  I would like you to consider joining my family."

 

Sho couldn't contain his grimace.  He'd been through all this before and he liked it no better now than he did then.  "Sorry, but I've always operated on my own.  I'm willing to compromise with you on business and see if we can work together for profit, but my organization will remain independent."

 

"That's a shame."  Xu swallowed the last of his champagne and he made a graceful gesture at the general assembly.  "All of these men have chosen to take my offer.  You and Mr. Chan are all that remains."

 

Chan looked at Yang, just as surprised as Sho by the revelation.  "Yang?"

 

"I'm sorry, my friend," answered the older boss with a sigh, "but my people need to be paid, and the Xu's have a market I can't ignore.  Until such time as they prove untrustworthy, I must make the call I feel is best for my family."

 

Sho's expression darkened, and beneath the table, Kei squeezed his knee in warning before he could act on the angry thoughts churning in his mind.  Suppressing his reckless urges, the Yakuza boss demonstrated unusual patience as he responded to the announcement.

 

"What is this supposed to mean to me?"

 

"It means that we could form an alliance of guilds," answered Xu, his tone filled with promises.  "One united Triad, ruling Mallepa.  Think about it, Mr. Sho.  Mr. Chan, your family goes back many generations, and we have the utmost respect for you.  You and Sho are the last pieces to the puzzle.  If we unite, there will be no more conflicts between our families, and any encroaching Triads coming into Mallepa will have to answer to all of us.  This is better, for _all_ of our people."

 

He looked at Sho, his expression cooling.  "You are the first and only outsider I have ever extended the offer of an alliance to, Mr. Sho.  I hope you can see the benefit in considering my proposal."

 

Sho glanced sidelong at Chan.  He sensed the conflict within the young man and at this point, he honestly couldn't blame him if he took the easy way out and caved.  For himself, however, there was only really _one_ right answer.  He took a long, slow drag of his cigarette and the men around the table stared as it burned down to the filter before their eyes.  Sho put the cigarette out, tilted his head back and expelled an abnormally dense fog of smoke into the air.  When he'd finished clearing his lungs of the smoke, he lowered his head again and he gazed unwaveringly at Xu.

 

"You and your offer can both get fucked."

 

Someone gasped, and another man snickered behind his hand impulsively.  Xu stared into Sho's eyes for several moments, before giving a nod.  "A shame."  His gaze went to Chan.  "And you, Mr. Chan?  Will you be uniting with the rest of us, or will you do as the foreigner has chosen and decline our offer?"

 

Chan looked at Yang, then at Sho and Kei.  Fully expecting him to comply with Xu's proposal, Sho sighed and nodded.  The kid had to look after himself, after all, and it was probably better for Hana in the long run if he didn't rock the boat, as Sho had. 

 

It therefore came as a complete surprise when Chan gave his answer.  "I decline.  My family will stand beside Mr. Sho, in this.  We once made a move like yours and it ended in disaster.  I won't repeat past mistakes."

 

Sho stared at him, his mask of indifference slipping for a change.  "I'll be damned," he blurted.

 

~*****************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued          


	6. Chapter 6

**"Bound by blood"**

Chapter 6

A "Moon Child" fan fanfiction

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* * *

 

Disclaimer: I do not own "Moon child" or any of the characters.  This is strictly a non-profit endeavor, written for entertainment purposes only.

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* * *

 

Kei winced as the glass sailed through the air and hit the wall with shattering force.  "Sho, calm down."

 

The taller vampire's eyes were bright with rage as he looked at him.  He'd held his cool until they returned to their apartment unit, but now he was demonstrating how he really felt about the way things went.  "It's just like Son, all over again," he growled. 

 

Kei lowered his gaze.  He hadn't been around when their Taiwanese friend decided to toss his lot in with Chan.  Seeing as Chan's people were responsible for Toshi's death, Sho naturally considered it a betrayal.  Now another gangster that Sho had started to see as a friend was doing the same thing, but with Xu.

 

"Sho, try not to take it so personally," advised Kei soothingly.  "Yang didn't make the call to insult you.  He's just doing what he things is best for his people, that's all."

 

"Getting in bed with the Xu clan isn't best for anyone," argued Sho vehemently.  "He's playing with fire and he'll get burned."

 

"Then that's his mistake to make," insisted Kei, "and there's nothing you can do about it.  We've both been involved in the business long enough to know how things work, and this doesn't really surprise me.  There _is_ a bright side, you know.  Chan has sided with you, at least."

 

Sho calmed down somewhat.  "That surprised the hell out of me, I admit."

 

"I know."  Kei smirked.  "I wish I'd had a camera, to take a picture of the look on your face.  I can't remember the last time you looked so surprised."  He almost confessed that he thought it was cute as hell, but he sensed Sho wasn't in the mood to be playful.

 

"I'm sure he's only doing it for Hana," mused Sho.  He walked over to the window and put his hands on his hips, looking outside.  "The things men will do for a woman."

 

Kei shrugged and walked over to join him.  "If that's the case, at least you know he genuinely cares for her.  He's taking a risk by turning down the offer, and he really didn't have to do that."

 

"I know."  Sho frowned.  "And that means we're going to have to keep a sharp eye on him for different reasons.  Xu didn't take it well when he sided with me, and I wouldn't put it past him to shed blood over it.  His power lust is going to cause a lot of trouble for all of us."

 

Kei nodded, frowning in thought.  It was time to re-visit an old idea.  "Maybe we should consider moving to a different place, now.  I know you're attached to this apartment and I am too, but Xu probably knows where we live and that's not a good thing."

 

Sho sighed and bowed his head.  "I know.  Damn it, you're right."

 

Kei embraced him from behind, feeling how tense his body was.  He rested his cheek against his shoulder as Sho's hands covered his over his stomach.  "We could probably afford a place in the suburbs."

 

"The suburbs?" repeated Sho.  "You trying to domesticate me?"

 

Kei chuckled.  "No, I'm trying to be sensible.  Xu wouldn't expect it and having a basement to sleep in during the day would be useful."

 

"With your tendency to walk in your sleep, I have to agree with that," muttered Sho.  "Okay, tomorrow I'll see if I can find a real estate agent willing to work night hours with us, and we'll get started as soon as we can."

 

Feeling his angst and understanding it perfectly, Kei decided to reward him for thinking with his head, instead of his heart.  He slipped his hands lower and he nuzzled between his shoulders.  Sho didn't try to stop him as he boldly cupped his package and started to massage it through the cream colored trousers he wore.

 

"That's going to get you in trouble," warned Sho huskily. 

 

"I'm counting on it," answered Kei. 

 

He kept kneading and rubbing with practiced skill, making Sho's breath catch.  He hardened quickly under the stimulation and he drew the blinds before turning around to face Kei.  His lips descended to the blond's and he groaned with pleasure, the sound muffled against Kei's mouth.  Kei tactfully began to undress him with his free hand, without stopping his erotic massage.  The dress jacket fell to the floor and the buttons of Sho's black silk shirt were flicked open one by one with deft fingers.  As he worked to remove the barrier of clothing so that he could enjoy that tawny body in full, Kei subtly steered his companion toward the hallway.  He smiled against Sho's lips when he felt a faint spot of dampness on his crotch, and he knew he had him right where he wanted him. 

 

"I want you inside of me," he murmured breathlessly against those sinfully gorgeous lips. 

 

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to make such a lascivious comment, after getting Sho worked up like this.  Kei found himself suddenly pushed against the corridor wall, and the taller man's kiss became searing.  It was a poignant reminder that Sho still had impulse control issues, but Kei honestly didn't mind.  His moan of lust was genuine as Sho ground himself against his hand and broke the kiss to explore his neck.  Guessing what was coming, Kei obligingly tilted his head to give better access, and he gasped sharply as the fangs pierced his skin.  His body started to go helplessly limp as the saliva mixed with his bloodstream and he sighed with pleasure, enjoying the sensation of Sho's suckling. 

 

Sho seemed satisfied by the submission, and he tugged Kei's shirt out of his pants to slide his hands up underneath it.  Kei murmured with husky appreciation as the calloused fingers tweaked and rubbed his nipples, making them tingle with pleasure.  Sho pressed a leg between Kei's thighs and he rubbed against his crotch, creating a delicious friction that had Kei biting his lip.  Unbelievably horny now, Kei tried to urge his companion into the bedroom, again.  His fingers felt clumsy as he started undoing Sho's pants, intent on exposing him.  He made a sound of relief when he got the fly undone and worked a hand into the pants. 

 

Sho's straining erection was warm and velvety in Kei's hand as he gripped it and eased it out.  He stroked the head of the organ, slicking the dew of precum over it and provoking a low groan of appreciation from his companion.  Sho stopped drawing his blood, mindful not to drain too much despite his impulsive nature.  He kissed the blond deeply and Kei tasted the tinny flavor of his own blood on his lips.  Somehow, they made it into the bedroom and Sho turned Kei around and pushed him up against the wall again.  Kei strained a little, just to get a reaction, and he moaned when the taller man pressed firmly against him from behind and held him in place.  His naked erection pushed against Kei's bottom and it turned him on so much that he twitched in his pants. 

 

"I want to take you like this," purred Sho, his voice deep and seductive. 

 

Kei had absolutely no objection to that.  "The lube is on the bedside table, where we left it last night."

 

Sho took both of Kei's hands and guided them up to rest flat against the wall, on either side of the blond's head.  "Don't move," he ordered, his breath tickling Kei's ear.  He nibbled the lobe briefly before pulling away from him. 

 

Kei obediently remained as he was, still reeling a bit from being fed on.  His pants felt uncomfortably tight and it was a struggle to resist the urge to reach down and unfasten them.  This was his gift to Sho.  They had both felt powerless during the Triad meeting and Sho in particular hated to feel like he wasn't in control.  Putting aside the insane hotness of Sho asserting himself, Kei thought this would help him feel secure again. 

 

Sho collected the tube and returned to Kei's back again.  He reached around between the blond's hip and the wall, and Kei groaned as he fondled the bulge between his thighs. 

 

"Mmm, feels like you're ready to pop," Sho observed in a darkly amused tone.  "I guess you want me to get you out of these pants."

 

"Please," agreed the blond.  "They're getting really uncomfortable."

 

Perhaps Sho could have tortured him for a bit and kept rubbing him, instead of complying with the request, but he wasn't as much of a sadist as he let on.  He kissed the side of Kei's neck, licking and sucking at the healing bite mark from earlier, and he dragged the zipper down on Kei's trousers.  Kei shivered with need as Sho temporarily pocketed the lube and pulled his pants down, exposing his groin and ass.  He left it at that, rather than pull the garment off completely, and he gripped the base of Kei's naked erection and gave it a firm pull. 

 

"Like that?" Sho asked huskily as the blond impulsively rocked into the touch and moaned.  He stroked the length of the organ with slow deliberation, his lips caressing the side of Kei's neck. 

 

"Oh, that's good," approved Kei breathlessly.  Sho had learned exactly how much friction and pressure to use when he stroked him, and it was hard to believe that just a few months ago, he'd never touched another man like this before.  His confidence and determination to please was extremely sexy, and every intimate encounter just seemed to get better each time. 

 

Kei was surprised when a lube-slick finger eased carefully into his rectum.  He hadn't even noticed Sho applying the gel; he was so absorbed in the feel of his kisses and stroking.

 

"Damn, you're good," he gasped in all sincerity. 

 

Sho didn't respond verbally, but he could feel the smug grin against his skin as the other man continued to kiss his neck.  Deciding he didn't need further ego stroking, Kei consciously relaxed his body as much as possible, not fighting the intrusion.  Sho's finger pumped insistently inside of him, curling against his prostate to tickle it each time it pushed forward.  Kei began to tremble as the combination of his fondling and thrusts provoked delightful sensations.  He hardly felt any discomfort when Sho added another finger, and by the time he added the third, Kei was panting and bucking in his hand.  Sho squeezed firmly to prevent the orgasm and Kei whimpered in frustration, but he didn't protest.  He knew his companion wanted to be inside of him when he came, and he wanted it that way, too.

 

Sho stopped what he was doing to lube up his cock and he bit Kei again as he pressed the tip against his prepared hole.  "Oh god," cried the blond helplessly as the thick length drove into him with slow, steady care.  He swooned again, his body relaxing further as Sho's bite put it into a state of euphoria.  This was probably the easiest way to get him adjusted to the penetration, and Sho had gotten into the habit of biting him each time he entered him, to make it easier on him. 

 

He resumed stroking his erection with one hand, while he caressed his torso and fondled his nipples with the other.  The heavy pressure of his cock eased up little by little as he began to rock carefully against him, and soon Kei's eyes were rolling with ecstasy.  He loved the way Sho's dick slid against that spot inside of him, causing that zip of sensation up his spine that made his knees weak.  He panted his name as Sho began to thrust just a little harder, careful to take it slow at first.  Kei appreciated his caution and thoughtfulness.  As a result of it, they hadn't had a disappointing encounter yet.  He began to push back against his companion, synchronizing his hip motions with Sho's as the pleasure grew.  Sho stopped feeding on him again and he groaned into his hair, pumping faster. 

 

"Feels so damned good," gasped Sho.  He gripped Kei's right hip with one hand and he kept fondling him with the other.  Kei was getting very, very close to his peak again and he let him know with an unsteady warning.

 

"Sho…I'm about to come…d-don't stop….oh…ahh!"

 

Sho obligingly kept his rhythm consistent and he uttered husky encouragement in his ear, urging him to come for him.  Kei couldn't have denied the request if he wanted to.  His balls tightened and his ass clamped down on Sho's thrusting sex as he bucked in his hand.  He splattered the wall with his libation and he moaned helplessly, shutting his eyes.  Sho brushed his hair aside and kissed his neck again, breathing heavily himself.  He thrust deep inside of him and held it there as the orgasm played out, caressing his body and gentling his stroking.

 

"I love it when you do that," confessed Sho in his resonant voice.  He kept fondling the blond's softening cock and he cupped his jaw with his free hand, urging him to turn his head to the side.  Blue eyes met dazed, sated brown ones as Sho examined Kei's expression of pleasure.  "You look so sexy when you come."

 

Kei didn't know how true that was, but he certainly appreciated the orgasms Sho gave him.  He tilted his head and he kissed the other man's palm, sighing with contentment.  Sho started to move again, his breath catching in that telling way that warned he was getting close to climax, as well.  Kei redoubled his efforts to push him over the edge, using his muscles tactfully to squeeze his thrusting sex just right, each time it withdrew from him.  Sho grunted in appreciation, his hips snapping with his efforts as he took him harder and faster.  He blurted an expletive as their actions provided the desired results. 

 

"That's it," encouraged Kei breathlessly as Sho embraced him tightly and bucked into him.  He felt the other man's hot breath shiver against his skin as Sho twitched inside of him, filling him with his seed.  Kei smiled in satisfaction and he rubbed the tense forearms embracing him so tightly.  Sho was squeezing hard enough to make him breathless, but Kei didn't mind.  The powerful body trembled against him as it was overcome by the pleasure of the orgasm, and Kei leaned his head back against the other man's shoulder and closed his eyes. 

 

He could relate to Sho's comments about climaxes.  He too delighted in making his companion come.  It was one of the few times when Sho was openly vulnerable.  The walls around him dropped, and all the pain he'd been through seemed to go away for those brief, precious moments. 

 

Sho rested his cheek on Kei's shoulder as his climax tapered off, breathing heavily.  His hold on him loosened, but he didn't release him from his embrace.  "I needed that," he gasped.

 

Kei smiled.  "Me too."

 

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* * *

 

A couple of weeks later, they were looking at houses in the suburbs, as suggested by Kei.  Sho had a sour look on his face as they inspected the third house of the night.  Having grown up in the city, he wasn't a bit keen on the idea of living in the suburbs. 

 

"What do you think?" the real estate agent asked him warily.  She was a middle-aged Chinese woman, and it was clear by the way she addressed him that she knew he wasn't impressed.

 

The Mafia boss shrugged.  "I guess it's not without its charm."  He started opening cabinets in the kitchen, inspecting them without any real interest. 

 

"What is the neighborhood like?" Kei asked.

 

"This is a very good, family neighborhood," assured the woman, "one of the best you can find in Mallepa.  It's well within your price range and the people here are friendly and respectful."

 

"It has a lawn," observed Sho with a frown, looking out the kitchen window into the back yard.

 

"Yes," agreed the agent with an elegantly arched brow.  "Most houses in the suburbs do, Mr. Sho."

 

"I hate nature."

 

Kei rolled his eyes.  "You do not.  You just don't want to mow it."

 

The taller man shrugged.  "That too."

 

"I promise to take care of any required mowing, if we get a place with a yard.  Better?"

 

Sho smirked at him.  "I'll remember you said that."

 

Kei shook his head and regarded the real estate agent.  "Do you have anything with more of an apartment feel to it?  This might go easier if we find some place with a more familiar atmosphere.  I think we're looking for something with a modern feel to it."

 

"I understand," she answered.  She retrieved her touch-screen data pad from her purse and she frowned in concentration as she conducted a search with it.  "I do have a city house available on the corner of 7th and Crane.  It's slightly above your stated price range, but not by much."

 

Sho and Kei exchanged a look, and the taller man nodded.  "That sounds good.  Let's look at it."

 

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* * *

 

The house was in the heart of uptown Mallepa, and it had everything they desired in style, features and location.  Kei could hardly believe their luck, and he guessed Sho was likewise impressed.  The basement was apparently used as a "man cave" by the previous owners, as it was set up with a bar and a pool table.  The latter didn't come with the house, but since they intended to use it as a bedroom, that didn't matter.  The living room on the first floor had an aquarium set into the wall that divided it from the dining and kitchen area.  The second floor had two bedrooms and a modern, Japanese style bathroom.  The tub was large enough for two people and equipped with water jets.

 

It was more luxury than either of them were used to, and Kei felt a little overwhelmed by the thought of living here.  His mixed excitement and trepidation must have shown on his face as he looked at Sho, because the other man's mouth twitched in a brief display of amusement before he masked it. 

 

"How much?" Sho asked.  The agent showed him and his brows went up.  "That's more than a 'little' over the range we agreed on."

 

"I can get you a good deal," assured the woman.  "This is just the asking price, but the owners will compromise if the numbers are good."

 

Sho considered it, and his eyes met Kei's.  "Give us a minute, would you?"

 

The woman gave a brief, courteous bow.  "Of course.  I'll wait in the kitchen while you gentlemen discuss it."

 

Sho waited for her to leave before leaning in close to his companion.  "Well, what do you think?"

 

"I like it," confessed the blond.  "I really do, but don't you think it's a bit too much for us?"

 

Sho looked around at the living room, with its modular furniture and the big screen television against the wall.  "Business is good.  We can afford it.  I gave her a lower price range on purpose, because I don't like advertising my finances, but we can swing this.  The upstairs bedrooms can be for guests, or Hana can take one if anything goes wrong with her marriage and she needs a place to live."

 

"Something tells me you'd like that," muttered Kei dryly, "but I agree, the extra rooms could be useful.  It just feels like…we'd be spoiling ourselves by getting this place."

 

Sho rolled his eyes.  "And what's wrong with that?  After all we've been through, maybe it's time we spoiled ourselves a little.  The business isn't exactly predictable and we may not be in the position to do something like this, a few months from now.  I say we do it while we've got the money to spare."

 

Kei smiled hesitantly.  "You're sure?"

 

Sho nodded.  "We aren't likely to find a deal like this again.  It's got everything we need and there's no yard to mow.  Let's get it."

 

"Okay," agreed the blond.  It was really Sho's money to spend, anyhow.

 

The taller man patted him on the arm.  "Let's go talk numbers."

 

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* * *

 

Once they got settled in to their new place, they invited Hana to come over and see it.  Sho gave her the grand tour and he ended it with one of the upstairs bedrooms.  "This is your room," he informed her as he opened the door to reveal the delicately furnished bedroom.  "I set it up just for you, so you'll have somewhere nice to sleep when you visit…or if you get rid of that husband of yours and want to live with us."

 

"I'm not leaving Chan," she sighed patiently, smiling at him.  She stepped into the room and looked around.  It was definitely a girl's room, with French influence in the design.  The four-poster bed had a gauzy canopy around it, and the window seat was stacked with lacy pillows.  Hana walked over to it and sat down, resting her hands on her denim-clad knees.

 

"It's beautiful, Tousan.  I'm sure I'll sleep well in here, when I visit overnight.  Would you…allow Hanyu to visit, as well?  I know you don't like him."

 

Sho sighed.  "If it would make you happy, then yes.  As long as he keeps doing right by you, he's welcome in my house."

 

She favored him with a bright smile.  "Thank you.  I never want to feel as if I have to choose between you."

 

Sho lowered his gaze.  "I know.  I'll do my best to make sure you never have to feel that way, Hana.  Your happiness is more important to me than my personal feelings."

 

From downstairs, Kei announced that dinner was ready.  Sho offered his hand to his daughter and he helped her up when she took it.  He put an arm around her for a brief hug as they exited the room together. 

 

~******************************~

* * *

 

Hana bit her lip as she selected a dumpling from the bowl passed her way.  How would she tell her father the news?  He just barely tolerated Chan to begin with, and they had only been married for a short time.  She picked up a dim sim with her chopsticks and she bit into it delicately, her stomach fluttering nervously.

 

"How is it?" Kei asked softly.

 

Hana smiled at him and she nodded, chewing the morsel and swallowing it before answering.  "Very good, Uncle Kei."

 

Sho bit into his dumpling with appreciation and he nodded in agreement.  "You handled the spices better, this time."

 

Kei smiled with pleasure.  "Good.  The last time, I thought you were going to choke to death."

 

"The last time nearly made me breathe fire," muttered Sho before wiping his mouth with a napkin.  "I swear you dumped so much pepper in there on purpose."

 

Hana covered her mouth on a laugh when Kei looked at her father sheepishly.  "Okay, so I got a little too generous with the spices.  I've learned, since then."

 

Curious about what food could do for them, Hana shyly asked the question that always sprang to mind when she shared a meal with them.  "Does eating food do anything for you?  I know you have…special diet needs, but do you ever get hungry?"

 

"Yeah, we get hungry," answered Sho, looking a bit uncomfortable.  "Just not the way we used to."

 

"We can still enjoy food," assured Kei, "even though we don't really need it, anymore.  We don't usually eat when we're alone, but it's still nice to share a meal with you now and then, Hana."

 

"Then next time, I should cook for you," she offered.  "You could come to our house for dinner."

 

Sho grimaced briefly, but he quickly brought his expression back under control.  "If Chan doesn't have a problem with that, sure.  I've never tried your cooking before."

 

"I could make one of Mother's recipes," Hana said with a smile.  "One of your favorites."

 

Sho smiled at her.  "You still remember my favorites?"

 

She nodded enthusiastically.  "Of course.  Family meals were a big part of my life as a child, and I never forgot which dishes Mother liked to cook especially for you.  I would like to make one of them for you, some evening."

 

Sho reached across the table and laid a warm hand over hers.  "I'd like that, Pumpkin."

 

Feeling the warmth of his affection, she gathered her courage and decided there probably wouldn't be a better opportunity to tell him her news.  "I…hope to be as good a mother as she was, someday."

 

Sho gave her hand a brief squeeze before releasing it and going for another bite of his dim sim.  "I'm sure you will, Hana.  As I've said before; you are your mother's girl."

 

She took a deep breath.  "I'm glad you feel that way, because I'm expecting."

 

Sho paused with the food partway to his lips, and he gave her a blank look.  "Expecting what?"

 

Kei was staring at her with wide eyes.  "Sho, I think she means a baby."

 

Hana nodded in agreement, smiling nervously at her father as the dumpling fell un-noticed from his chopsticks.  "Yes.  I'm going to have a baby."

 

Sho didn't move.

 

"Papa?" Hana watched him uncertainly, unable to tell what was going through his mind or how he was going to handle this.

 

"Uh."  The dumb response tumbled from Sho's slack lips as if he'd forgotten how to speak.

 

"Sho, I think Hana could use your support, right now," Kei advised.  He frowned and waved a hand in front of the other man's face.  "Sho?"

 

"Uh." The blank look didn't leave Sho's face.

 

Hana compressed her lips.  "Father, please say something.  Are you angry?"

 

"Uh."

 

Evidently deciding he'd had enough of this, Kei rolled his eyes and jabbed the other man in the ribs with a chopstick.  It seemed to shock some sense into him, because Sho jumped and yelped, glaring accusingly at the blond.

 

"Ow!  What the hell was that for?"

 

"To make sure you haven't had an embolism," countered the blond.  "Now would you please speak to your daughter about this news?"

 

"Don't poke me like that again," warned Sho peevishly, rubbing the spot.  He gave Hana a frowning look of disbelief.  "You're pregnant?  _Already_?  You just got married last month!  Hana, is this why he married you?  He got you in trouble?"

 

"No!  It isn't like that, Tousan.  I swear, I only found out yesterday."

 

"But you two have…done things…before the wedding," reasoned Sho, swallowing.

 

She lowered her gaze and toyed absently with her napkin.  "I don't want to disappoint you, but yes."

 

"Sho, virgin brides are a thing of the past, these days," reminded Kei.  "Don't make this about Hana's personal life, okay?"

 

"Would you stop lecturing me?" snapped Sho.  "I'm just trying to make sense of this!  My little girl is pregnant!  Let me figure this out!"

 

"There's nothing to 'figure out'," reasoned Kei with faint amusement.  "Hana is going to be a mother, and you're going to be a grandfather.  You knew this day would come, eventually."

 

"But not so soon," objected Sho with a gesture at Hana.  "Look at her!  She's still just a baby, herself!"

 

"I'm an adult now," Hana reminded him gently.  Her eyes welled up with tears.  "Please, try to be happy for me.  I need your approval.  This is a scary time for me, and I need to know you'll be here for me.  Please, Papa?"

 

The sight of her tears did Sho in, and he got out of his chair and circled around the table.  "Oh no…don't cry.  I can't bear it when girls cry…especially not my daughter."  He knelt before her and drew her into his embrace.  "Shh, Hana, don't worry.  I know I acted like a jerk, but it was a shock.  I could never be disappointed in you, okay?"

 

She hugged him back and sniffled.  "P-promise?"

 

"Absolutely," he assured her, his voice slightly husky with emotion.  "You're my girl and I love you.  I'm going to be here for you as much as I can, so don't be scared."

 

And just like that, all the fear and uncertainty went away.  She knew it might take a while for him to get used to the idea of her starting a family, but as long as Sho supported her, she knew it would all work out.

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

A few nights later, Kei went out of town to conduct some business for the 'family', while Sho kept a close eye on things at home.  When Kei returned and locked the front door behind him, he called out to Sho, half-expecting to find the house empty.

 

"Up here," answered the other vampire from one of the upstairs rooms.  Kei went up the stairs and down the hall, following the sound of his voice.  When he opened the bedroom door, he was stunned by what he saw inside. 

 

"Wow…how long have you been at this?"  Kei looked around the room and blinked.  Sho had transformed it from a basic guest room into a themed nursery.  There were panda bears painted on the walls and more caricatures of the animals hung from the mobile dangling over the crib.  The crib itself was made of dark cherry wood, and a gossamer white canopy draped over it.  Sho had clearly spared no expense.

 

The taller man finished adjusting the wind-up baby swing he'd put together, and he glanced Kei's way as he tested it out.  "I told Hana I'd be here for her, and I meant it.  The next time she comes to visit, she'll see that her baby is welcome, too."

 

Kei smiled at him.  Sho never did anything by halves.  "I can tell you worked really hard on this.  I know she's going to love it, Sho."

 

Sho sighed and stuck his hands into the pockets of his leather pants.  "Hope so.  I almost called her to have her come over and paint the pandas on the walls, but I want this to be a surprise."

 

"So you're finally getting happy about being a grandparent?"

 

Sho snorted.  "Please.  I barely had time to adjust to Hana being married, before this bomb was dropped on me.  Her life is going by so fast, I'm afraid if I blink, I'll miss something."

 

Kei nodded in understanding.  "It can be like that, sometimes.  You did a really good job on this, though.  Think of how happy you'll make your daughter, when you show it to her."

 

Sho smiled hesitantly.  "All I want is for her to be happy.  You two are the only things in my life that really matter to me."

 

Kei approached him and he ran his hands over his chest and shoulders, trying to give him the emotional support he so clearly needed, but was reluctant to ask for.  "Everything is going to be all right.  Hana's a smart, responsible girl and she'll take good care of herself.  I'm sure she's seeing her doctor regularly and she'll have a healthy pregnancy."

 

Sho sighed.  "I don't even want to think of something going wrong."

 

"Then don't," advised Kei.  "You'll just get yourself worked up over nothing.  Have you fed recently?"  Sho was looking a little pale, which indicated a lack of precious nutrients. 

 

"I was going to hunt tonight," answered Sho.  "You?"

 

"I'll join you."

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

They had to be increasingly careful not to leave behind evidence, when they fed.  Kei was getting better at controlling the hunger, and as a result, the body count was dropping.  Sho unfortunately failed to stop in time to avoid killing his latest victim, and they ended up putting the body in the trunk and paying a visit to a crematorium across town to take care of it.  As they got the corpse ready for burning, the wallet fell out of the back pocket and Sho bent over to retrieve it.  He flipped it open and took the cash out of it, but as he started to close it again to replace it to be burnt with its owner, he caught sight of a photo inside.

 

"Sho?  What's the matter?"

 

"His family."  Sho turned the wallet to show his companion the photo of his victim, sitting on a couch with a smiling young woman and a toddler.  "He had a family."  Sho generally avoided listening to his victim's fading thoughts as he fed on them, to avoid losing his nerve out of sympathy.  He wanted to think of them as mere juiceboxes for his needs and if they survived, so be it.  Seeing proof that this man had been an actual _person_ , complete with a family of his own, cut him to the core.

 

Kei looked at it with a frown and he sighed.  "Sho, most of our victims have families of some sort.  They didn't just drop out of the sky, you know.  Just remember, if we let it get to us, we'll end up starving ourselves.  That's what you're always telling me, remember?"

 

"I know," agreed Sho softly, "It's just…sometimes I can't hide from it.  I play it off like it doesn't matter, but the picture got to me.  Maybe it's because I'm going to be a grandfather."

 

"He killed an old woman," reminded Kei.  "A defenseless old woman…and all because he wanted her money so he could buy more drugs."

 

Sho nodded, trying to follow his own advice and put aside the guilt that was trying to surface.  "You're right.  Let's get this over with."

 

~*******************************~

* * *

 

Whatever doubts Sho suffered about the morality of his nature faded away as the days passed by.  Simply put, he had too many things on his plate to worry about whether it was evil to feed on druggy murderers, or not.  He felt bad for the families of those who didn't survive his feedings, but he was at the core a practical man.  Having grown up on the harsh streets of Mallepa and having to survive through petty theft as a mere boy, guilty feelings never quite stuck with Sho.  You did what you had to do to get by, and for a vampire, that meant draining the lives of others. 

 

He concentrated on maintaining his organization and keeping Xu and his people from taking business away from him.  As angry as he was with Yang for caving to Xu, he did understand where he was coming from.  He'd already been down this route once in his life, and it wasn't worth it to him to repeat history.  He didn't want his friendship with Yang to take the same route as his friendship with Son.  Kei agreed with him and they still did business with Yang on occasion, having no reason yet to mistrust him.

 

Sho invited Hana over to the house on the weekend, and he reluctantly extended the invitation to her husband, as well.  It was difficult to bury the past and forget whom Hanyu was related to.  Old hatred died hard, but for the sake of his daughter and the child she carried, Sho tried to see Chan with new eyes.  The man had sided with him against Xu, after all, and he and Yang were the only Triad bosses in Mallepa that Sho felt he could remotely trust not to screw him over. 

 

When they arrived, Sho urged Hana to go upstairs with him and he made her cover her eyes as he guided her to the nursery.  Chan followed curiously and Kei took up the rear. 

 

"Father, what are you up to?" Hana asked with a nervous laugh.

 

"You'll see, soon enough," promised Sho.  He flipped the light switch after opening the door and he steered her through the door.  "Okay Hana, you can look now."

 

She took her hands away from her eyes and looked.  Her dark eyes went wide as she saw what he'd done to the room, and behind her, Hanyu demonstrated surprise as well.  Sho looked at her, quelling his uncertainty.  "Well, do you like it?"

 

"Oh, Papa, it's wonderful!  I'm not sure what I was expecting to see, but this wasn't it!"

 

Sho relaxed a bit, giving her a smile.  "Now you have a nursery for the baby, whenever you come to visit.  We'll put in a bed eventually for when the kid gets older, too."

 

"You must have put a lot of effort into this," Hanyu remarked, stepping into the room to inspect it.  "Hana was worried that you were unhappy about her pregnancy."

 

Sho stroked his daughter's hair.  "She can stop worrying.  Like I said; I'm going to be here for her as much as I can.  I've got a lot to make up for."

 

Hana embraced him, pressing her face against his shirt as tears threatened.  "I'm sorry…I don't mean to be a crybaby," she sniffed.  "It's just such a wonderful surprise."

 

"At least you can use hormones as an excuse for crying," soothed Kei.  "Your Dad, on the other hand—"

 

"Shut up," muttered Sho, giving the blond a warning look.  The last thing he needed was for his son in law to hear about the times he'd cried on Kei's shoulder.

 

Kei lapsed into silence, but there was a teasing look in his eye that only Sho could detect.

 

~***************************~

* * *

 

_A couple of days later, on the other side of town:_

 

"That Jap bastard is taking away my business," fumed Xu as he paced before the assembly of ranking Triads.  "I want it stopped."

 

"I spoke to him about it," Yang said, "and he says these people approached him, not the other way around.  He claims that all he did was offer them a fair agreement, and they found it more reasonable than the one you gave them."

 

Xu narrowed his eyes.  "Then I suppose I'll have to demonstrate to them why Sho's 'fair agreement' isn't in their best interest.  He may not be able to protect them, as promised."

 

Yang lowered his gaze, clearly troubled.  He didn't offer an argument, however.  The best he could do was stay out of the conflict himself as much as possible and try to get a warning to Sho.  The Yakuza boss never should have poached Xu's profits like that, even if the business owners _did_ approach him first.

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

The first shots weren't fired at rival gangsters, but at unsuspecting merchants.  Chan was the first to see the profit hit when the butcher shop he collected from got robbed at gunpoint.  These things happened frequently in Mallepa though, so he wasn't that concerned about it until he met up with Yang for lunch and the other Taiwanese man warned him that Xu was planning to make a move against Sho.

 

"He's got it in for you, too," said the older man.  "You should watch your step, Chan.  Xu didn't appreciate your turning down his offer, and he may set out to make an example of both of you."

 

Chan frowned, thinking of his expecting young wife and the danger this could put her in.  "Does he intend to declare a Triad war against us?"

 

"He hasn't said it in so many words," offered Yang, "but I think it may be coming on the horizon, my friend.  You should prepare your people and so should Sho."

 

"And where will you stand in this, if it comes to the conflict you fear?"  Chan sipped his tea and considered the menu, though he'd lost his appetite.

 

"I intend to stay out of it, if possible," answered Yang.  "My business decision doesn't reflect on our relationship or my desire to maintain peace with you, Chan."

 

The younger man nodded and brushed his hair back from his eyes.  "You may not be able to remain impartial, though.  Xu will likely push you to choose a side, if he intends to fight us.  He isn't satisfied with doing his business and leaving us to do ours; he wants total control of Mallepa and all Triad business here."

 

"I know," agreed Yang unhappily, "and I've considered that carefully.  If it comes to us drawing guns on each other, I hope you'll remember that it's nothing personal."

 

Chan lifted his cup in a toast.  "Then let's try to avoid the conflict for as long as possible, and hope it never comes to that."

 

Yang toasted him back.  "Agreed."

 

~****************************~

* * *

 

While the two Triad bosses discussed the grim possibility of all-out war between the families, a young woman was attending a Public Security Bureau meeting in a building outside of Mallepa city boundaries.  Detective Hidaka had important information regarding the case he was heading against the Mallepa Triads, and he explained what he'd discovered to the attending agents. 

 

 "I have reason to believe that the Xu family is planning to a coup.  They've already made a power grab and several of the other Triads have merged with them."

 

It was the first she'd heard of this, and Agent Sasaki was curious to know if her mark was on that list.  "Which families merged with them, Sir?"

 

"According to my source, all of the major ones except for Chan and Sho.  The remaining families are little more than gangs of street punks, unworthy of Xu's interest.  He's building an empire and if this continues unchallenged, he could become unstoppable.  We are going to have to keep an extra close eye on the inner workings of these Triads, and our field agents will have to be especially careful, now.  If any of you are discovered, we may not have the resources to protect you."

 

They all knew the risks of their assignment, and the grimly determined faces reflected that as Hidaka paused to let that sink in.  His gaze went to Sasaki.  "I realize there's only so much information you're privy to with your cover, but it's very important that you pay careful attention to everything those men say or do whenever you see them at the restaurant.  We had to pull out of watching Chan because he was getting suspicious of the agent assigned to him, and Yang is very secretive about his private affairs.  That leaves you and our lead with Xu to monitor this situation, for now.  Please do your best, and be very careful."

 

She nodded.  "Of course, Detective.  I have no reason to believe they suspect me as anything more than a working college student.  I'm as safe as I can be, for now."

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

She shouldn't have spoken so soon.  Yes, she appeared to be safe from Sho and Kei, but the next evening when Mariko returned to her fake job to wait tables, a terrible situation occurred.  The last customer of the evening paid his bill and left, and Mariko was just returning to Sho and Kei's booth with their final drinks for the night when it happened.  Mr. Kwan went to lock the front door for closing, but just as he reached it, someone shoved it open from the other side.  Mariko heard Kwan's nervous objection and she frowned, pausing in the act of placing Sho's drink on the table. 

 

"I'm sorry, but we're closing for the night," Kwan was saying.  "You'll have to come back…tomorrow…" he trailed off, and as she turned to see what was happening, Mariko saw why.  Eight men dressed in black had come through the doors, and they all wore ski masks to hide their features.  They were armed with guns and the one in the lead had his trained on Mr. Kwan.

 

"You're going to give us all your cash," informed the man in Cantonese, "If you don't cooperate, we'll shoot you and everyone else in here dead."

 

One of the bus boys came out from the kitchen and as soon as he saw the danger, he dropped his tray and tried to run, blurting an oath.  One of the masked men immediately fired at him, hitting him in the back of the calf as he tried to flee.  The bus boy went down screaming and someone in the kitchen yelled an inquiry.  One of the cooks came out and his eyes went wide when he saw the bus boy whimpering on the floor, bleeding from the bullet wound in his leg.  The cook held his hands up in surrender when one of the robbers pointed his gun at him, and he got down on his knees without question.

 

Mariko looked at Sho and Kei, knowing full well that they were both packing.  The two men both looked remarkably calm and unimpressed as they stared at the group of intruders silently.  Kwan was pleading softly with them as one of them locked the doors and told him to get down on his knees.  The leader looked at Mariko and he smiled in a slimy manner, his dark gaze scanning her admiringly. 

 

"You, Sweetheart…get the money from the register."  He looked at his companions.  "Two of you go check the back and bring all the employees out here, before any of them can call the police."

 

As they hastened through the swinging doors leading to the kitchen and back rooms, the leader motioned at Mariko again.  "Move it.  Don't make me ask you again."

 

Mariko hesitated for a brief moment, before moving to comply.  She thought she saw Sho covertly reach into his trench coat before she went behind the bar to open the cash register, and she mentally braced herself for what was sure to become a shoot-out.  She didn't know if these men were associated with Xu and his plan to take over, or if they were just common thugs out to make a buck.  Either way, she believed they were in for a nasty surprise—and not just from the two Yakuza members sitting at the table.

 

"You two, get on the floor with everyone else," instructed the leader to Sho and Kei when the two men he'd sent to the back came out with three more hostages.  "Don't fuck with us, if you want to live through this."

 

Sho and Kei looked at each other, and for a moment it appeared that they weren't going to comply with the demand.  Seeing that the robbers' attention was on them for the moment, Mariko subtly reached under the counter for her purse, stashed beneath the register next to one of the other waitress'.  She went through the motions of opening the register pulling out stacks of currency, while carefully reaching into her purse for the gun she kept in there.  While she worked on getting armed without alerting their captors, Kei and Sho slowly stood up.  Sho's expression was eerily blank, and Kei wore a pair of light brown, rectangular shades that concealed his eyes and whatever thoughts that lay behind them.  Mariko felt like she was watching a gathering storm, though neither of the men had reached for a weapon or made a threatening move, yet.

 

"You should reconsider this," advised Sho in his deep, compelling voice.  "While you still can."

 

The robbers looked at each other with amusement, exchanging chuckles as the leader responded.  "You reckon?  You're in no position to threaten anyone."  He looked at Kwan and motioned at him with the gun, while his companions kept their weapons trained on Sho and Kei.  "Get up, old man.  Do you have a safe?"

 

"Y-yes," answered Kwan, his complexion sickly pale with fear.  "In the office, at the back."

 

The leader nodded at a couple of his people.  "Go with him.  If he takes too long to open it, blow his kneecaps off."

 

Kwan whimpered with fear and he stumbled when one of them shoved him to get him moving.  He nearly tripped over the fallen bus boy on his way through the swinging doors and he could be heard pleading with his captives as they went through with him.  The leader turned to Sho and Kei again—who were still standing, instead of lying on the floor as they had been instructed. 

 

"Don't be assholes," warned the leader.  "Get down on the floor with the ret of them!"

 

Sho shrugged and spread his hands, his blue gaze cool and unmoved.  "No.  They haven't mopped, yet.  I don't want to get my jacket dirty."

 

The robbers looked at one another, clearly nonplussed by his lack of concern.  "What's _wrong_ with you, man?" demanded their leader.  "I said to get your ass down on the floor!"

 

"And I said no," answered Sho.  "Can't you understand plain Cantonese?"

 

"You asked for it," snarled the leader, taking aim with obvious intent. 

 

He never got the shot off, because Mariko drew her gun and fired at that moment, hitting him in the wrist.  Stunned with surprise and pain, the leader fell to the floor, clutching his injury.  His companions realized the shot came from the waitress and she dove behind the counter as they opened fire on her.  Glasses and bottles shattered as bullets struck them, and the mirror behind the bar cracked as it too was peppered with bullets.  She heard the screams of the staff and she hollered for everyone to take cover and stay down.  The gunfire aimed at her stopped abruptly, but she could still hear the weapons going off. 

 

She dared to crawl to the end of the bar and peek around it, and she saw that Sho and Kei had joined the firefight.  The former wielded twin pistols and he shot two of the robbers at the same time, before jumping aside to avoid the return fire.  His blond companion had a single gun and he looked oddly bored as he shot at the intruders.  He didn't dive away like Sho when the enemy returned fire.  Instead, he jerked to the side, then back the other way—somehow avoiding the bullets with astonishing ease.  Mariko was reminded of a water bug skimming over a pond, watching Kei.  The robbers were practically firing at point-blank range, but none of them could seem to hit him.  The ones that had gone with Mr. Kwan had come out of the back upon hearing the commotion, and they joined the fray.

 

The leader collected his dropped weapon and started shooting with his uninjured hand, aiming at Mariko.  She ducked back behind the bar and waited until he was forced to reload, before returning fire.  He had pushed over one of the tables for cover and she swore when she failed to find an opening.  His companions were busy with Kei and Sho, trying unsuccessfully to gun them down.  The former just kept evading bullets like they were merely annoying insects, while the latter employed some rather impressive acrobatic moves.  How anyone could move like that in leather pants and studded boots was a mystery to her, but Sho somehow pulled it off.

 

Another robber went down, shot in the throat by one of Kei's bullets.  A fourth soon followed after receiving a kick to the head from Sho that would surely leave a boot imprint behind.  They were left with only four of the robbers still able-bodied enough to present a threat, and Mariko put another one out of commission with a shot to the knee, since she couldn't get a clear shot at the leader. 

 

"Sho, I need a clip," called Kei.  The taller man dug one of the requested items out of his coat and obligingly tossed it to him.  Kei reloaded with shocking speed, just in time.  He jerked his head to the side as one of the robbers tried to shoot him in the temple, and the bullet meant for him hit another robber that had been standing behind him, instead.  The man went down, leaving only his accidental shooter and the leader standing.  The shooter appeared to be shocked by what had just happened, and he when he saw that he and his leader were the only two left, he dropped his weapon and put his hands up.

 

"Don't shoot," he pleaded, looking nervously between Sho and Kei.  "We were paid to come here, all right?"

 

"Paid by who?" asked Kei, keeping his gun aimed at him.

 

Before the guy could answer, his leader put a bullet through his skull, without warning.  He dropped like a stone and Sho quickly fired at the leader, despite Kei's hollered warning for him not to.  The leader soon joined his companion in death as Sho's bullet struck true and hit him right beneath the left eye, boring a bloody hole in his face and blasting brain matter out the back of his head.

 

"Well, so much for questioning him," sighed Kei.  He looked around at the carnage and he found that the man Sho had kicked in the head was still alive.  The one with the knee injury was not, however.  A stray bullet finished him off during the fight, hitting him in the lungs. 

 

"Don't shoot him," Kei warned when Sho took aim at the unconscious guy.  "He might be able to answer our questions."

 

"I don't need him to answer any questions," growled Sho.  "It's obvious who set this up."

 

Kei didn't respond to that.  Instead, he looked around at the staff to check for injuries.  "Is everyone else okay?"

 

The bus boy was still groaning on the floor, and Mariko went to his side to put pressure on his injury.  "I don't think anyone else was hurt," she announced, failing to notice the little cuts on her arm where some flying glass had struck her.  In the distance, approaching sirens could be heard.  The police were on their way. 

 

Kei joined her and he nodded at the cuts with a frown.  "You're hurt."

 

Overhearing, Sho walked over and he grabbed some napkins off the bar, squatting beside her.  His blue eyes were oddly intense on the blood welling from the cuts, and he swallowed. 

 

"Here." 

 

He offered the napkins to her and if the situation were different, she might have found his and his companion's attentions boyishly endearing.  There was a young man with a bullet wound on the floor and there they were, fussing over a couple of minor cuts on her.

 

"It's nothing," she assured gently, deliberately putting a quiver in her voice to maintain the act that she was only a waitress.  "Lu is hurt a lot worse.  Could we…call an ambulance for him, please?  And where is Mr. Kwan?  Is he okay?"

 

"He's fine," answered Kei, looking up as the man in question came out from behind the swinging doors on shaky legs. 

 

Sho's gaze strayed to the gun Mariko had placed on the floor when started applying pressure to the bus boy's gunshot wound.  "That's a nice piece," he complimented.  "What's a girl like you doing with a gun like that?"

 

Mariko thought quickly, imagining the day her father gave her that gun for her birthday.  "This is Mallepa," she said, lowering her gaze shyly under his intense stare.  "Doesn't _everyone_ have a gun?"

 

Sho smiled slowly.  "Everyone with half a brain, sure.  Good point, and that was some nice shooting you did."

 

"Father taught me," she said truthfully.  "He wanted to be sure his daughter knew how to protect herself in the city."

 

~*****************************~

* * *

 

Unfortunately, the man Sho kicked in the head was still unconscious when the police arrived, and they couldn't stop them from taking him into custody.  The police took their statements and got an ambulance for Lu.  When they asked Sho if the owner had enemies that might have orchestrated the robbery, Sho denied it and insisted that Kwan wasn't involved in any criminal activities.  Of course, he didn't mention his own enemies, as his ownership of the restaurant wasn't official public knowledge.  The robbers were unmasked and identified as members of a local street gang, and the attack was written off as a common heist. 

 

Once the police left, Sho sent everyone home and he and Kei remained behind to clean up some of the mess.  He would hire people to repair the damage tomorrow.  As he swept the broken glass up, he thought of how that pretty little waitress had handled herself and he found himself entertaining less than wholesome thoughts.

 

"Shit."

 

Kei looked up from the blood he was scrubbing off the floor.  "What?"

 

"Nothing."  Sho avoided his eyes and kept his head down.  The mental image of a three-way stubbornly clung to his mind, though.

 

"You're blushing," observed the blond. 

 

"Am not."

 

Kei dropped the sponge in the bucket and got up, wiping his hands off on his pants.  "You're thinking about the waitress again, aren't you?  You always get embarrassed when you're caught thinking about girls, Sho."

 

"Drop it," insisted Sho, blindly staring down at the sparkling glass as he swept. 

 

"It's okay," soothed the blond.  "I told you before, you're entitled.  I don't mind."

 

Sho sighed.  "It isn't you.  It's…Yi-Che.  Feels like I’m being unfaithful to her."

 

"That doesn't make any sense to me," admitted Kei, tilting his head.  "How can you feel like you're being unfaithful just by thinking of another woman, when you do a lot _more_ than that with me nearly every night?"

 

She shrugged.  "With you it's different."  He raised his eyes off the floor and his gaze met Kei's.  "You're my soul mate.  You always have been.  I know she wouldn't mind us being together the way we are."

 

Kei's expression softened.  "I'm glad you feel that way.  I'd hate to cause you any guilt."

 

"Well, it's true.  I haven't really thought of any other women since she died, though.  It's bugging me."

 

"There's nothing wrong with appreciating female beauty," insisted Kei.  "I wish you'd stop being so hard on yourself."

 

Sho sighed and rested his wrists on the handle of the broom.  "I guess I'll just have to try harder.  A pretty girl with a gun?  I can't help it…I'm sold."

 

Kei chuckled softly.  "I'm right there with you, trust me.  You know, if you ever wanted to go for it, I wouldn't mind."

 

Sho blushed again and immediately shook his head.  "No…I can't do that.  It wouldn't feel right, even if you say you're okay with it.  I'd be okay with it if _you_ wanted to go for it, though."

 

"You would?" Kei smiled at him in that semi-teasing way of his.  "It wouldn't bother you?"

 

"No.  If you went for a guy it would bother me, though.  Don't ask why…I can't explain it."  Growing more uncomfortable and embarrassed by the moment, Sho resumed sweeping, just to give himself something to focus on besides the dirty thoughts going through his mind.  He'd never fully outgrown that damnable shy streak, when it came to women.

 

"You keep me satisfied enough," assured Kei in a fond tone.  "I can't believe how bashful you can still be, though.  You must be having some potent fantasies, to blush this hard."

 

Sho grumbled incoherently, refusing to take the bait. 

 

~*******************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued

        


End file.
